Return To Me
by NashMarquez
Summary: An installment to the "Return" series. Sequel to Returning Past. Their fate is undetermined. Is Horatio still alive or is he dead? And how would Calleigh react to this? What will happen to them? Will Horatio's past be dug up and surprise all others around him? Will they change their views on him? CSINY team will be mentioned. -Rated M for safety
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for giving me so much support and have been reading my stories all this while. I have enjoyed writing for your entertainment and I appreciate it that you loved my stories.**

**As promised, this is the third installment for the "Return" series; a sequel to Returning Past. I know the previous story ended with a cliffhanger. So...Stay tuned to see what happened! :)**

**For those who haven't read the previous stories, they are "The Deadly Return"(1st) and "Returning Past"(2nd). You might want to catch up with that first. Cheers!**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

**-Previously, from Returning Past-**

"What have you got?" Mac asked as he walked and stopped beside Lindsay who was waiting on the computer for the results of the blood.

"We're still waiting Mac. I'm running it through the National Database." Mac nodded and focused his attention onto the screen, waiting impatiently for it to come up negative. Suddenly, a ding came up.

"Mac. It's a match." Lindsay spoke up and Mac just stared at the screen with an open-mouth. The results came up positive. Mac's eyes never left the screen.

_Horatio Caine._  
_Miami, Florida_

**-Continuation-**

"Doctor, how is she?" Mac asked the doctor as he stood outside the room, glancing over into the room occasionally. He had expected this to happen but he didn't think it would be a very serious matter. Eric was standing right next to him, focusing on what the doctor have to say about the situation.

"She's fine. She's just stressed. If you hadn't brought her here in time, she might have suffered a miscarriage. May I ask what is she stressed about?" The doctor asked and Mac just stared into the room. He was fiddling with the coins in the pocket of his pants, while watching the patient lying in there motionless, with tubes connecting the drip to her arm.

"Uhm…She just got news that her husband went missing." Mac said then shifted his glance to the floor. He was really sorry that this had to happen to Calleigh and the babies.

"Oh." That was the only reply that doctor managed, with a sympathetic look.

**-TWO DAYS AGO-**

"Mac. It's a match."

_Horatio Caine  
Miami, Florida_

"Mac." Stella called out. Mac was quiet when he saw the results of the analysis. "Mac." She called out again. Mac shook his head.

"This cannot be. This result is wrong." He said, trying not to believe the results that appeared before him.

"Mac, it's his. It's Horatio's. You know very well that the system doesn't screw up." Mac still refused to believe it. He kept shaking his head. Stella approached closer to Mac and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Mac…" She called out softly. In an instant, Mac flinched.

"NO! This cannot be Horatio! What am I supposed to tell his wife? I was supposed to ensure his safety! I was supposed to make sure that Horatio is safe! And now he's missing! Not even a clue on his whereabouts!" Mac blared, his hands balled into a fist and everyone in the lab stared at him in shock. Never have they seen Mac this angry. Mac then slammed his hand on the table, which caused the team to jump in shock.

"Mac calm down. Everyone is watching you." Stella warned.

"Stel, you tell me. How am I supposed to face Calleigh now? I was supposed to help Horatio. Calleigh trusted me!" Mac shouted again and stormed out of the lab, leaving the rest standing, froze with dropped jaws.

Suddenly, amidst the quiet moment, a cell phone beeped. "Whose is that?" Everyone checked their phones and it was none of theirs. Then, they saw the light flashing from inside the evidence bag.

"It's Horatio's." Danny spoke up. He then put on his gloves and took the phone out of the bag slowly. "Calleigh." Everyone looked at each other then focused back to the phone. "Okay what now? What am I supposed to do?" Danny said as his eyes still focused on the phone in his hands. Everyone were still looking at the phone, not answering Danny. "Hello guys. Seriously? This phone won't answer on its own you know."

"Then you answer that Danny." Adam replied, looking annoyed.

"I'm just going to let it go to voicemail. Then we shut it off." Danny said quickly. The call ended after a few more rings and Danny quickly turned it off then placed it back into the bag. "Mac is going to kill us."

"I know. But what are we supposed to say to her anyway. We don't even know anything. Mac can't expect us to tell her that her husband is gone. Not over the phone that is." Lindsay countered. "Where did Mac go?" Everyone shrugged. Stella tried to contact Mac but he wasn't answering the phone and the calls kept going to voicemail.

While the team was worried about his well-being and his whereabouts, Mac had actually gone back to his place. He needed to get away from all the troubles and he needed a quiet place to think about his next move. The moment he arrived home, the first place he went to was the guest room where Horatio had stayed in the past few days. The minute he entered the room, a small package on the table caught his attention and he went straight towards table, picking the package slowly.

_'Damn Horatio. Why do you have to make this so hard for me? Having to tell your wife that you're missing is already so hard and now you're leaving behind some kind of jewelry for her?'_ Mac thought. He opened the package and there it was. A heart shaped sapphire pendant. _'Really Horatio..you just have to make this harder on me don't you.'_ Mac then slipped the package into the pocket of his jacket and went out of the room. He needed some refreshments. While waiting for his coffee to boil, Mac checked his phone and there were several missed calls from Stella and the rest of the team. He left the lab without saying a single word to them, thus him not being surprised with the missed calls. He decided to let it be and not call them back. He will talk to them when he returns to the lab with an idea. The coffeemaker beeped and Mac poured himself a cup.

"Now what am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to say to Calleigh?" He asked himself, aloud as he slumped himself onto the couch. After a while, he tried to shut his eyes only to be interrupted by the vibration of his phone. "Oh damn." He cursed when he saw who the caller was. It was Calleigh. "Really Calleigh? Now?" He stared at his phone, trying to think of something to say to her. The phone stopped vibrating then it started again in a few moments. This time, Mac had to answer the call.

"Taylor." Mac answered.

"Mac, it's me Calleigh. Where is Horatio? Is he okay? I called his phone but there was no answer. And then it was turned off. You didn't answer the first time I called. Mac what's wrong with him? What happened to him?" Calleigh bombarded Mac with all the questions that she didn't even give him a chance to speak up.

"Calleigh…Calm down." Mac paused.

"Mac. Tell me what's wrong. I need to know. What happened to Horatio? Where is he?" Mac was caught in a spot. He thought of just clicking the end button but he couldn't do that to Calleigh. She would definitely know something is wrong and panic. He didn't want that to happen. Instead, he hung onto the call and waited for her to finish throwing questions at him and he finally spoke up.

"Calleigh…we are still tracking him down right now. I don't want you to worry or panic." Mac said aloud although in his mind, he knew that he couldn't find a better way to say that her husband just went missing. Over on the other side of the call, Mac could hear her broke into a cry, almost screaming. He felt guilty. He felt sorry. He had one job, which was to make sure that Horatio would be safe but he failed. He sunk in deeper into his couch.

"He's gone isn't he? Mac tell me honestly. I need the truth. Where is he?" Mac could hear her sobbing already. Calleigh sounded so desperate and devastated.

"Calleigh, I want you to listen to me. We don't know that yet. We are still tracking him and I will try my best to bring him back to you. He will be safe Calleigh." Mac tried to assure her.

"Mac, is he really gone? I thought you were supposed to make sure that he's safe. Why did you break your promise Mac? Why?" Calleigh was sobbing real hard. Mac felt his heart ache listening to her cry.

"Calleigh, you listen to me. We will find him. I will find him." Mac assured her again. His jaw clenched and his other hand balled into a fist, so hard that his knuckles almost turned white. He was blaming himself for the disappearance of Horatio. After he tried to assure her and it failed, he had to put an end to the call. He couldn't take her crying and sobbing anymore. He quickly finished his coffee, slipped the jewelry box and his phone into his jacket then made his way back to the lab. He didn't want to worry the team further. The moment Mac arrived on the floor of his lab; Stella was waiting for him, arms crossed across her chest. The look on her face could kill Mac instantly.

"Where were you Mac?" Stella asked sternly. "You walked out of the lab just like that without informing us where you were going." Stella kept her arms crossed across her chest and Mac looked remorseful.

"I went home. I just couldn't stay here." He said as his hand reached out into his jacket pocket and took out the jewelry box. "I found this in Horatio's room. It's definitely for Calleigh. What am I supposed to do?" He asked Stella. The box was held tight in his hand.

"Let me take a look at that." Stella reached her hand out towards Mac and he gladly handed the box over to her. Once in her hands, Stella opened the box and she gasped. "This belongs to her Mac. You have to give it to her."

"But I want to find for Horatio. I don't want to give that to her. I want him to give it to her." Mac looked at her with eyes filled with remorse.

"Mac, you know we have no leads. You know we have nothing on this. The only thing we have is the blood which is his..his phone, which is of no use and the wires which had nothing on it." Stella looked at him and studied his face. He was frowning. She knew he was blaming himself. "Mac, you have to tell her. You have to go to her. Give back what belongs to her, Mac. She trusted you." Stella reached for his hand, opened his palm and handed him the box. "Give this to her. It belongs to her." Mac looked up at her. "In the meantime, we will keep looking for him."

"What if he's dead? And I give her hopes that Horatio might be alive? I can't do that to her Stel."

"I'm sure he's not dead. That pool of blood indicates that the shot wasn't major to have cost him his life Mac. You and I both know that." Mac stared at her blindly. "You listen to me. You're going on the next flight to Miami. You're going to tell her everything." Mac was still staring at her. "Mac." She called out. Mac shook himself and composed himself. He nodded.

"Book my flight. I'll fly over and tell her myself." Stella smiled at him.

"Thank you." Stella said then gave him a kiss on the cheek.

After that talk, Mac made his way back to his office to settle the administrative stuff and to make a call to the chief, telling him that he needed some time off to go to Miami to settle some work issue then made his way home to pack his bag. Stella helped him with bookings of the flight ticket and also his accommodation while the rest of the team kept themselves busy with the case. Sheldon and Danny were sent back to the warehouse to find for any evidence or any traces of Horatio or the potential kidnapper.

"Hey Stel." Mac greeted Stella once he was standing right behind her. Stella turned around and gave him a cheerful smile. "Thanks for arranging my stay over there and for booking my flights. I appreciate that and I owe you one." He continued.

"No problem Mac. Sometimes we can't do everything on our own you know. We need people in our lives." Mac smiled slightly. "And, maybe you could just do me a favor by staying with Calleigh when she's going through the tough moment. She's pregnant and she has to hear the news." Stella paused. "You get what I mean." Mac nodded.

"I'll see you when I get back." Stella gave him a brief hug then watch him walk away towards the boarding gate. A few hours later, Mac arrived in Miami and took a taxi to his hotel to check in and to get himself rested for the day.

The next morning, right after shower, he made his way to the Miami-Dade lab. He felt foreign around Miami since he has only been there once where he and Horatio had to work together on a case. He looked around and he saw how differently the lab works from his own lab. It was much more technologically advanced and very oriented compared to when he saw it last.

_'Wow. You really keep up with the technology Horatio. No wonder you're the Head of the lab. Very impressive.' _Mac thought when he saw the entire lab from outside the elevator.

"Sir." A voice called out to Mac. He turned towards the voice. "Are you looking for someone?"

"Uhm…I'm Mac Taylor from the New York Crime Lab." He stepped forward and towards the reception desk.

"Oh. But Lieutenant Caine is not in." Right then, Eric stepped out from the elevator.

"Mac?" Eric saw his reflection from the glass wall and immediately recognized Mac. Mac turned around.

"Hi. You're Eric Delko right? You work with Horatio?" Mac greeted and offered a handshake.

"Yeah. Just call me Eric. I thought Horatio went over to New York to ask for assistance. Where is he?" Mac looked at him and Eric noticed on the spot the tinge of disappointment in his eyes. "Mac? What happened? Where is he?" Eric was getting worried.

"He's not with me anymore." Mac answered briefly and Eric shook his head in disbelief.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for giving me so much support and have been reading my stories all this while. I have enjoyed writing for your entertainment and I appreciate it that you loved my stories.**

**Thank you for the reviews. I'm glad many of you stayed through and have been waiting for this sequel. And may I warn, this story is heavy and will be full of angst and sadness. :'( Hopefully we see some cheerful stuff here and there :P **

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

"He's not with me anymore." Mac answered briefly and Eric shook his head in disbelief.

"Let's not talk about this here. Shall we head out and talk about this? I don't want words to spread around." Mac nodded and Eric guided him to the elevator then to his hummer and they made their way to a cafeteria nearby. Eric wanted to talk about this over coffee. "So what happened? Where is he?" Mac's shoulders dropped and his facial expression changed.

"He's nowhere to be found." Mac sighed. Eric's eyes widened.

"Wait. What do you mean? Do you mean he's gone?" Mac nodded. "Is he dead?" Eric asked. He needed confirmation.

"We don't know that." Mac then took out a file from his bag; it was the case file, and handed it over to Eric. "The blood found was Horatio's. His cell phone was there too. And the wires that we put on him was disabled the moment he entered the warehouse. This guy was very well prepared." Eric took the file and flipped it open. The first thing he saw was the photograph of the blood pool.

"This is his blood?" Mac nodded. "But it's not enough to cause death." Eric frowned.

"We know that. That is why I said we don't know if he's dead or still alive. My team is still working on it. We're going to find him."

"Does Calleigh know about this?" Mac looked at him with remorse in his eyes. "Damn." He cursed under his breath. He understood by his looks that Calleigh has been told. "No wonder she didn't report for work today. I thought she was just feeling unwell." Eric sighed.

"I have something that belongs to her. It was on the dresser table in my guest room; left by Horatio." Eric sighed and rubbed his face with his hands.

"I think we need to see her now." Mac agreed and they both finished their coffees then made their way to Horatio's house. Once they arrived, it was already almost evening.

"You really think this would be a good idea?" Mac asked.

"She already know hasn't she?" Mac nodded. "And besides, you came all the way to Miami from New York to break the news to her. You having second thoughts?"

"I don't know Eric. I feel responsible for his disappearance. I was supposed to make sure that he's safe."

"Mac, it's not your fault. The one at fault is that bastard who took him. I know Calleigh wouldn't blame you." Eric had his hand on Mac's shoulder.

"She called me and told me that I was supposed to take care of him. What am I supposed to tell her." Eric felt sorry for him.

"Mac, don't worry. She's not that kind of person. I assure you it was just her emotions speaking." Eric gave him a slight smile and a squeeze on his shoulder to assure him. Mac nodded. They both made their way to the door and knocked a few times before Calleigh stood in front of them. Mac was taken aback by what he saw. He felt guilty all over again when he saw her. Her eyes were red and puffy. Part of cheeks was still wet from the tears. Mac knew she tried to wipe off her tears.

"He's gone isn't he?" She whispered and then started crying all over again. Mac and Eric looked at each other and they felt so sorry for her.

"Cal, we don't know that yet. He might still be alive Cal." Calleigh cried harder and her knees suddenly went gave in and she buckled, almost crumbling to the ground but before she managed to hit the ground, Mac quickly took her in his arms and carried her over to the couch, laying her gently. Eric had immediately called for an ambulance to get her to the hospital. Mac stayed with her while Eric went outside to later bring in the paramedics. As Mac was attending to Calleigh and laying her down on the couch, he heard the cries of the babies and then he realized that the babies were with them in the living room. Mac laid her quickly and went towards the babies to try to soothe them when they cried harder and louder.

"Mac, what happened?" Eric ran and barged into the living room.

"I don't know. They started crying and I wanted to try to comfort them and they cried harder." He paused. "And louder." Eric chuckled. "What?"

"Nothing. They're just not used to strangers. They're just like that. I think they were just trained." He smiled. "Don't worry. I'll handle them." Eric then stepped forward to pick Horatius then Alayna. "Hey there you two." The babies kept crying. "Are you guys hungry?"

"They could be hungry. Or maybe their diapers are wet." Mac suggested.

"Yeah I think they're hungry. Their diapers feel fine." Mac nodded. "Could you help with their milk?" Mac nodded and headed to the kitchen to get their milk. He had to follow his guts and instincts to prepare the milk because he never had any children or make any milk for babies. "Here we go." Mac handed the bottles to Eric who was already seated on the chair with both twins in his arms. Once Eric fed the babies the bottle, the babies were quick enough to grab it on their own and hold the bottle with their own hands. "Wow. They're smart."

Eric smiled. "Yeah they are. Just see who their parents are. Horatio and Calleigh. If they're not geniuses, then I don't know what they are. They are already so invincible." Eric laughed. Right then, the paramedics arrived and Mac had let them into the living room to take Calleigh away to the hospital.

"Anyone coming along in the ambulance?" The paramedics asked after they loaded Calleigh onto the gurney.

"No. We will drive over there. Just take care of her." Eric spoke up and the paramedics nodded and rolled her out of the house then into the ambulance. "Mac, could you help me to pack their stuff?" Eric asked, indicating to the babies.

"Yeah sure. Just tell me where their room is. And Calleigh's. I'll get her stuff as well."

"Calleigh's room is the first on the left and the kids' is just across it." Mac nodded and went off to pack their belongings. He packed extra clothes for the twins including diapers and some toys. After packing, Mac met Eric back in the hummer where Eric had already placed both the babies in their baby seats.

"So Mac, I guess you might have to drive right now. Since the babies need someone at the back and it definitely can't be you." Eric chuckled a little.

"Well I am fine with that as long as you show me the way." Eric nodded and Mac took the driver seat. Eric had directed Mac to all the turns and corners, making sure that they took the correct and the shortest way. Once they arrived at the hospital, Eric made a quick call to Frank to ask him to pick the babies up from the hospital. Frank came within minutes with Alexx who was off-duty and brought the babies back to Alexx's place so that the babies could have their rest. Just then, the doctor appeared before them.

**-PRESENT DAY-**

"So what can we do now?" Mac asked the doctor.

"We need to monitor her current condition and the baby's. And please, I don't want anything to stress her out. She could have a miscarriage if her stress level increases." Mac nodded. "We will have to keep her here for a few days."

"Thank you doctor." Mac and Eric shook hands with the doctor and the doctor left them both. They turned to take a look at Calleigh through the glass window and she was just lying there, unconscious. Each of them were very quiet and entertaining their own thoughts, wondering where Horatio had gone to and what Calleigh would do now that Horatio is missing.

"What's our next move Mac?" Eric broke the silence and directed his attention towards Mac who was standing beside him.

"I don't know. The only way we can find him is to see if there are any traces left at the warehouse which we are waiting for now. My team is canvassing the place from top to bottom and I can assure you that they will not leave any spot untouched." Mac said in a very firm and confident manner. "I'm not going to allow anything to happen to both Horatio and Calleigh." Mac had so much determination in his eyes that Eric didn't even need to think twice to be convinced. Eric just nodded. Mac then took his leave and walked away from Eric to make a call to his team to ask if they had any progress on the case or if they had even found any traces. He only had to wait for a few rings before hearing Stella's voice.

"Hey." Mac spoke up first.

"Hey Mac. How is it going over there?"

"Well…I'm at the hospital right now." Mac could hear a soft gasp on the other side of the line.

"Is she alright Mac?"

"She's going to be. She was pretty shaken and she almost lost her baby. I don't want to stress her out anymore." Mac paused for a moment. "So, anything on the case yet? Any traces found?" Mac asked as he took a seat on the couch in the visitor's lounge. He was too worried and too worn out that he started to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Not yet Mac. We've covered the whole entire area but there was nothing. Not a single fingerprint. It was definitely wiped clean. This guy is good." Mac sighed.

"He will slip and I am going to get him. He will definitely slip. No one is that brilliant. He will screw up Stel. I want him to screw up right now." Mac had so much anger in his voice. He was clenching his jaws as he spoke.

"I know Mac. He's not that smart that he would escape us. Right now, just focus on the other side. We can handle it here." Stella tried to convince Mac. He sighed again.

"We need to work fast Stel. His kids are too young. They can't just lose their father at such young age. And with another baby coming along, I don't know how Calleigh is going to manage." Mac kept pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We will do our best. I will talk to you later."

"Alright. I'll talk to you later. And Stel, check his records when he was working with the NYPD. It might be related to his old cases." Mac instructed her then said his goodbyes. Eric then appeared at the door.

"Any progress yet?" Eric asked, leaning onto the door. Mac shook his head and Eric sighed.

"I've asked them to look at his records when he worked with the NYPD." Mac paused as he got Eric's attention. "It could be connected because the guy asked him to meet in New York. Just for precaution." Eric nodded.

"Well, then we will look into his cases here and check for anything and everything." Mac agreed with him. "I'll go back to the lab. Natalia will be here soon. She's on her day off tomorrow and she volunteered to be here." Mac nodded and followed Eric back to the lab. By the time they left the hospital, Natalia had already arrived and was looking after Calleigh.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N : Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for giving me so much support and have been reading my stories all this while. I have enjoyed writing for your entertainment and I appreciate it that you loved my stories.**

**Thank you for the reviews. I'm glad many of you stayed through and have been waiting for this sequel. And may I warn, this story is heavy and will be full of angst and sadness. :'( Hopefully we see some cheerful stuff here and there :P **

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

"Well, then we will look into his cases here and check for anything and everything." Mac agreed with him. "I'll go back to the lab. Natalia will be here soon. She's on her day off tomorrow and she volunteered to be here." Mac nodded and followed Eric back to the lab. By the time they left the hospital, Natalia had already arrived and was looking after Calleigh.

Once they arrived at the lab, they both wasted no more time and started going through Horatio's past cases. Eric had called Ryan before he made his way back to the lab to get all the case files that was handled by Horatio and place in Horatio's office so that they could speed up the process of finding any potential culprit. Both of them prepped themselves with a cup of coffee each because they knew it would be a very long night doing this. They didn't want to waste anymore time because Horatio might not have much time. Whenever one of them got tired, they would take a nap while the other continues and they would swap. By sunrise, they managed to flip through all the files that Horatio handled, but there was nothing remotely related to Horatio's disappearance.

After their unsuccessful attempt at finding any connections from his old cases to his disappearance, Mac and Eric decided to go back to get changed and wait for the other team to find anything on Horatio's past. Eric sent Mac to his hotel before making his way to his own apartment and they both decided to meet at the hospital right after lunch to see how Calleigh was doing.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Alexx had taken over Natalia and looked after her that morning. Frank, being a very good friend, had taken the liberty to take the day off to take care of the twins while Alexx stayed at the hospital. Alexx watched Calleigh as she was sleeping and she realized that Calleigh was looking thinner than usual and she looked very pale. As she was studying Calleigh, she suddenly saw something moving and realized that it was Calleigh. She was starting to wake up and Alexx immediately went towards her bed to encourage her to wake up. Her eyes were fluttering and her fingers were moving up and down.

"Honey, come on wake up. You can do it." Alexx gave Calleigh some encouragement and after a few more encouragements, her eyes opened. "Hey sugar. You hold on. I'll get the nurse." Alexx held on to Calleigh's hand and pressed the button for the nurse with her free hand.

"Horatio…" Calleigh called out softly, in a whispering tone. Alexx looked at her and felt really sorry. Just then, a nurse came in to check on Calleigh briefly to see if she was alright.

"Calleigh, you have to focus on getting well okay. I'm here for you." Alexx pushed her blond hair aside and squeezed her hand gently with another hand as she sat next to Calleigh on the bed.

"Where's Horatio, Alexx?" Calleigh whispered weakly.

"Calleigh, don't think too much. You're not feeling well." Alexx kept holding on to Calleigh's hand.

"He can't be gone Alexx. I need him. His kids need him. The baby in here needs him. He can't do this to us Alexx." Calleigh started sobbing softly at first but it got worse and Alexx had to call in the nurse to put her to sleep so that she wouldn't be too stressed out. After Calleigh fell asleep, Alexx went out to make a phone call to Frank to ask about the babies when she noticed Eric and Mac walking towards the room, from the elevator.

"Hey guys. Any news yet?"

"Nope. There wasn't anything remotely related to his disappearance. We're stuck again. The New York team is still looking for something that might pop up." Eric replied and as soon as he ended his sentence, Mac's phone started to ring.

"Taylor." Mac answered. "Yeah? Oh. Uhm, okay. I'll talk to them. Thanks Stel." Mac ended the call and both Eric and Alexx was staring intently at him. "It was the lab. There was no such Detective called Horatio Caine." Mac raised his eyebrow at them. Alexx looked very shocked while Eric just kept his eyes on Mac.

_'John Kelly.'_ That name crossed Eric's mind. The interrogation the other day made him aware that Horatio Caine, his boss, wasn't who he really is. From that day on, he knew that Horatio had a past that no one knew and he never asked Horatio about it since he was a rather private man._ 'Does Calleigh know about this?'_ He wondered to himself.

"Eric? Do you know anything about this?" Mac broke his train of thoughts and snapped him out of his own world. Eric shook his head.

"No. I don't know anything about it. He never told us anything about his past. He was very discreet about it." He lied. He didn't want to expose Horatio before consulting Frank about it. That afternoon, after visiting hours were over, Eric decided to go over to Frank's place to ask him for his opinion. From outside the door, Eric could hear the cries and the screams of the babies and decided to give the door a knock. The door flung open immediately.

"Hey Eric! God. You're my life savior! Close the door and help me with the babies." Frank was cheering and his face lightened up. Eric entered the house and closed the door quickly before going straight to the living room to pick one of the crying babies. Both of the babies were crying hysterically and very loudly that Frank had difficulties trying to handle them both on his own. Both Eric and Frank changed their diapers, fed both babies together, and tried to put them to sleep. They only managed to put the babies to sleep after an hour of playtime and another hour trying to keep them on the bed. Eric and Frank had a hard time putting the babies to sleep and by the time the babies fell asleep, both of them sighed and threw themselves on the couch in the living room.

"Oh god. How did they even manage." Eric was just merely stating. He was slumped on the couch, with not much energy left.

"I don't even know how. But those babies are really active and tiresome. Let's leave this task to the women. I'm not doing this anymore." Frank raised both hands, gesturing surrender on his part.

"That's a very good idea. Why didn't you think of that in the first place?" Eric rolled his eyes at Frank.

Frank glared at him. "Shut up Delko. I was being nice." Frank sighed. "So anyway, obviously you didn't come here just to help me with the babies. Did you need something or what?"

"Oh uhm.. yeah. I wanted to see you about something." Frank raised his eyebrows.

"What is it about?" He sat up straight and paid attention to Eric.

"It's about Horatio." This got Frank's full attention. "Remember the interrogation the other day? With Jimmy Landon?" Frank nodded. "He mentioned John Kelly. What was that about?" Frank's shoulder dropped.

"I don't know. His private life is private Delko." Frank sighed.

"Francis, Mac made his team check out his background. When he worked with the NYPD. And they just called just now, in the hospital, to inform Mac that there was no such detective called Horatio Caine." Frank sighed again and sunk into the couch deeper.

"Delko, I don't know. He never told me anything." Frank lied. He knew from Calleigh that Horatio had a past and he was indeed John Kelly but didn't want anyone to know about it. As Horatio's best friend, Frank knew that he needed to keep his secrets. Frank knew that he wouldn't let the secret out. There might be a reason to why Horatio didn't want to tell anyone about it and Frank would keep his promise to Calleigh that he wouldn't tell anyone. He respected their decision. Calleigh would have to be the one to approve. Not him. "You should be asking Calleigh about this. She's his wife and I'm pretty sure she knows."

Eric sighed loudly. "She's in the hospital. How do you expect me to ask. She's probably not going to tell." Eric threw his head back on the couch. "Then this would make it difficult for us to track and find him. We don't even know who might want to take him or why they want to take him."

"I'm sorry but I can't help. I really don't know about his past. You know what kind of person he is Delko. He never talks about his private life." Frank sighed and he got up from the couch.

"Then how do we find him?" Frank turned and dropped his shoulders.

"I don't know. It's been almost 72hours Delko. What are the odds?"

"I don't know man. You should see how broken Calleigh was. I don't know what to tell her. I don't know how she's going to cope with this. You know how much she loves Horatio. God she can't even separate with him." Eric rubbed his face.

"It will take time Delko. She just needs time to overcome this." Eric just shook his head. He then stood up and walked towards the door to take his leave. Suddenly, all of what Frank said sunk into Eric's head.

"Hold on. Do you know something that I don't? Why do you seem so relax? It's almost as if you don't even care that Horatio is missing. Or worse. Dead." Eric turned towards Frank, narrowed his eyes and glared at Frank with suspicion.

"What are you talking about Delko? You do realize that Horatio is one of my closest friend, my best friend. What are you insinuating?" Frank snapped.

"I'm not insinuating anything but your behavior. You're hiding something about this case. What is it?" Eric insisted as he stood at the door.

"I am not. I don't know what the hell you are talking about. If you need to leave, just leave." Frank replied coldly. Eric gave him a glare that could kill but Frank ignored.

"I'll update you about Calleigh later." Frank nodded and Eric walked out of the house towards his hummer. Frank shook his head as he watched Eric walk away and once he had entered his hummer, Frank quickly shut the door and went straight to his room, shut his door and made a call. Frank paced his room up and down, with his free hand on his waist. He waited on the line but it kept ringing and finally went to voicemail.

"Dammit!" He cursed and dialed the same number again. He waited again until he heard a voice over on the other side. "Finally." Frank sighed with relief. "Where were you maann. Eric came here. He's suspecting something."

"Sorry. I had something on. Francis, I have to call you back later." The call ended and Frank hissed in anger. He paced up and down the room waiting for his phone in his hand to ring. As he was pacing in the room, he heard a cry from the other room and he sighed loudly.

"Please. Not again." He complained and rushed over to the other room to find one of the babies crying. It was Horatius. "Oh Horatius. What now." He sighed as he slipped his phone in his pocket and picked the baby up. Horatius has been very cranky ever since Frank brought him back to his place. Alayna on the other hand, has been an angel all day long besides the time when she needs her food or needs to be changed.

Frank carried Horatius out of the room and brought him to the living room where his toys were laid out for him. Frank put him down and started playing with him but it was not working. Horatius was still crying slightly and was just throwing his toys aside. Every time Frank passes him the toy, Horatius would throw it back to him and cry all over again. Frank decided to switch on the television for him but it was still not working. Horatius kept crying. Amidst all the chaos trying to soothe Horatius, Frank's phone chirped.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N : Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for giving me so much support and have been reading my stories all this while. I have enjoyed writing for your entertainment and I appreciate it that you loved my stories.**

**Thank you for the reviews. Loved it so much! Made my days and made my effort worth. I'm sorry if I haven't been updating that often but I am writing fiction for my assignment. I will try my best to update as often as I could :)**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

Frank carried Horatius out of the room and brought him to the living room where his toys were laid out for him. Frank put him down and started playing with him but it was not working. Horatius was still crying slightly and was just throwing his toys aside. Every time Frank passes him the toy, Horatius would throw it back to him and cry all over again. Frank decided to switch on the television for him but it was still not working. Horatius kept crying. Amidst all the chaos trying to soothe Horatius, Frank's phone chirped.

"Tripp." He answered. "Okay man. Where are you right now? I don't know if this is gonna work. Eric is suspecting something." Frank said, annoyed. He listened to the voice on the other line, very hard. Horatius was making it so difficult for him to hear what the other person was saying.

"Can you speak louder? I can't hear you clearly. Your son is making it difficult." Frank almost shouted into the phone. "What? Put you on speaker?" Frank asked in disbelief and did as he was told. Frank put the phone on speaker and placed it near Horatius, quickly switching off the television.

"Okay. Speak now." Frank instructed.

"Hey there buddy." The voice spoke up and Horatius went quiet immediately. Horatius turned around, trying to find the voice. "Horatius, daddy loves you okay buddy. I want you to be a good boy and listen to Uncle Frank. If you listen to Uncle Frank, he will buy you toy cars alright sweetheart." Horatius stopped looking around when he realized there was no one there besides Frank. Instead, he focused his attention on the phone that Frank was holding.

"As if Horatio. You give me the money and I will." Frank replied sarcastically but jokingly.

"Da-da." Horatius blurted. Horatius reached out to the phone and started touching it as if he was trying to reach out to the person who was talking to him. Frank held the phone closer to Horatius and allowed him to grab hold of the phone. Horatius concentrated on it. "Da-da." Horatius blurted again. He definitely recognized that voice.

"Horatius, I know you miss me. I miss you too. I will come back for you soon. I love you buddy. I will see you soon sweetheart." Frank took that as a sign that the conversation with Horatius has ended and he took the phone back from Horatius and continued talking on the phone.

"Horatio. I can't do this anymore. I don't like where this is going. Calleigh is in the hospital and they're doing a background check on you." Frank said as he took a seat beside Horatius, handing him a toy car with his free hand.

"I need to do this Frank. For their safety."

"What safety Horatio? Your wife nearly lost her baby!" Frank snapped. "Your baby Horatio! You almost lost your own blood and flesh and you're telling me that it's for their safety? Are you kidding me? You're not saving them. You're killing them!" Frank almost shouted but toned down because Horatius was there. He stood up and walked further away from the toddler.

"Wait. What? What happened to Calleigh?" Frank was silent. "Frank speak to me. What happened to Calleigh?" Frank let out a loud sigh and glanced over to Horatius to make sure he was still there.

"She was torn. Shattered. She didn't report to work. We had no idea why until Mac appeared at the lab. Eric and Mac went to your house and everything spiraled. She was distressed and almost lost the baby." Frank paused. He could hear a soft gasp over on the other side. "This is not going to work. You're causing so much pain. Especially to Calleigh. Your wife. And your baby." He continued.

"But Frank, if I don't do this, my whole family will be in danger. I can't lose them Francis. They're my entire life."

"Either you come back and tell her that you're still alive or risk losing your unborn baby and maybe even your entire family. Your choice." Frank warned.

"I can't do that Francis."

"Your choice Horatio. This is as far I can help you. I can't see my friend get hurt. Your children are innocent. Just remember how your children are very attached to you that they can't even separate from you. Think of Horatius who misses you badly. He became quiet when he heard your voice! If that isn't enough for you, then I don't know what else to say to you." Frank finally snapped and shouted over the phone.

"I don't want to see you ruin what you built with so much effort Horatio. Come back to your family." The call was silent. Neither of them said anything else and Frank ended the call. He slipped the phone back into the pocket and returned to where Horatius was. "Your daddy just won't understand will he?" Frank talked to Horatius. "Your daddy is just too stubborn and you guys have to suffer. Even me. I have to keep his secrets now." Horatius stared at him, looking at him in awe; as if he understood what Frank just said. Horatius blabbered in his baby language.

"Maann. You really look like your dad. I just hope you don't turn out as stubborn as he is." Frank shook his head and took the toy to play with the toddler.

"Dammit Caine! Get a hang of yourself! You almost killed your own wife and child!" Horatio slumped and leaned onto the wall. He closed his eyes, recalling what happened the other day at the warehouse.

-FLASHBACK-

*BANG*

Immediately after that gunshot, Horatio found himself crumbling onto the ground, losing his grip on the phone. He could feel the burning sensation over his right thigh and he felt warm blood trickling down his leg. He could hear Mac calling out his name but he couldn't muster up enough strength to talk. He was in ultimate pain and he was already on the ground, trying to handle the pain for as long as he could. He could literally feel the pain up to his bones.

"Argh.." Horatio groaned. He was hoping that Mac could hear him but he dropped his phone when his grip loosened and the phone was nowhere near him. It was out of his reach. "Arrgghhh." Horatio groaned again. He could feel his pants soaked with his blood and he knew he was losing too much blood from the gunshot to thigh. His vision was blurring out.

"I'm so sorry Calleigh. I'm so sorry." Horatio whispered to himself. "I really hope you would forgive me." He continued.

As he was groaning in pain, he heard shuffles around him.

"Hello Lieutenant." Horatio heard the voice clearly. He turned slowly towards the voice. "Still breathing eh Lieutenant? Well done. I didn't know you're that strong. I imagine you would be dead by now." The voice laughed hysterically.

Horatio glared at the masked man. To Horatio's surprise, the masked man stepped forward and held a tourniquet in his hand. He was a huge, muscular man but Horatio didn't feel a bit intimidated by it. He didn't want to care.

"Now we don't want our dearest Lieutenant to die do we." The man laughed again. Horatio didn't bother trying to fight off. He surrendered himself. He knew that if he were to fight off, he could be killed and right now, that was not what he wanted. He promised his wife and his children that he would return to them.

Horatio then felt himself being lifted and carried away. He wanted to scream yet he had no strength for it. He felt really weak and his vision was really blurring. He felt tired and sleepy. He felt cold. He was losing his consciousness and his world turned black.

"Argh." Horatio groaned and stirred slightly. After a few moment, his eyes shot open and he realized he was in a house, on a bed, with IV tubes and lines around him. He lifted his hand and he saw tubes inserted into his hand.

"Oh hello Lieutenant." A man greeted. Horatio couldn't recognize his face at all. The man obviously is not the disfigured man who tortured him but from his build, Horatio recognized that he was definitely the man who carried him. "You're finally awake. You passed out. From the blood loss." The man laughed.

"What do you want from me?" Horatio asked weakly.

"Oooh…" The man cooed. "Wanna repay us for saving your life already?" He laughed again. "Don't worry Lieutenant. In due time, you'll repay our kindness." He smirked. "Just make sure you don't go back on your words or your family gets it. Your task will be given to you when you get a little better. Maybe tonight." He laughed. "Adios Lieutenant. Get well soon!" The man then left Horatio alone in the room.

**-PRESENT DAY-**

Horatio stared into the room, at his wife who was lying down on the bed with machines and tubes surrounding her. He had tears in his eyes. It broke him seeing his wife suffering because of him. He just stood outside the room, staring, trying his best not to cry but it failed. His tears still rolled down his cheek. He didn't bother wiping it off. No one was there to stare at him or to judge him. It was midnight.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart. I didn't mean to do this to you. I just couldn't bear watching you get hurt. But now here I am, causing you all the pain and misery." Horatio was talking to himself. He wiped off his tears on his cheek and composed himself. He walked over to the washroom to wash his face. He didn't want to appear weak in front of Calleigh. He didn't want her to know that he was crying. After washing up and straightening himself, Horatio let himself into her room and he took the chair, settling just beside her bedside. He stared at his wife again. He felt sorry for himself.

"Calleigh I am so sorry. For all the pain I caused. I really didn't mean to. Could you please wake up sweetheart. For me." He slowly reached out to her hand and held it against his cheek. "God Calleigh. I miss you so much." He was leaning against Calleigh's palm. He needed to feel her skin against his. He missed her badly.

As much as he tried to fight off the tears that were falling, it failed him. His tears still made through and he was crying against her hand. As he was holding her hand very tightly, he felt her fingers moved and he flinched. He looked up at her but there wasn't any indication that she was waking up. He looked down to her hand again and it was not moving this time. He shrugged it off, thinking that it was just a reflex until he heard a soft cry escape from Calleigh's mouth. She was having a nightmare.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N : Sorry for the long wait. I am really trying my best to update as soon as I can but...I hate to say this but I have been having some writers block . it's probably not writers block. I think I'm just lazy. hahaha. But I am trying my best, juggling my school work and fanfic. I will never give up on fanfic. Ever. hhehehe.**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

**Previously...**

As much as he tried to fight off the tears that were falling, it failed him. His tears still made through and he was crying against her hand. As he was holding her hand very tightly, he felt her fingers moved and he flinched. He looked up at her but there wasn't any indication that she was waking up. He looked down to her hand again and it was not moving this time. He shrugged it off, thinking that it was just a reflex until he heard a soft cry escape from Calleigh's mouth. She was having a nightmare.

* * *

"Horatio…" Calleigh called out but she was still asleep. It was soft but Horatio could hear it clearly. "Horatio…" She called out again. Horatio stood up, still holding onto her hand to sit on the bed beside her.

"Shhh…I'm here sweetheart.." Horatio tried to calm her down. He stroked her blond hair gently as he held onto her hand, gently caressing the back of the hand.

"Horatio…don't leave me please..Horatio…" Calleigh was shaking violently. Her free hand in the air as if she was reaching out to someone. She was breaking in sweats and her blond hair is now damp. Horatio held on to her still.

"Calleigh sweetheart I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." He tried calling out to her but she was too deep in her sleep that she wouldn't wake up.

"Horatio I love you…please don't do this to me. Please Horatio. Don't leave me." It was a heart-wrenching moment for Horatio to see his wife crying and calling out his name even in her sleep. Horatio let go of her hand and quickly took her in his embrace, holding her tight to his chest. He gently pushed away the strands of hair that was on her face and gently combed her damp hair with his fingers.

"I'm here sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere." Horatio could feel her shakings slowing down and her sobbing becoming softer. She was calming down in his embrace. It was as if she knew it was Horatio, holding her. Even in her sleep, she recognized him. Horatio held her in his chest, cradling her gently until her breathings finally went steady.

"I'm not going anywhere sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere." He kissed on the top of her head and laid her back on the bed gently. As he laid her back, her arms clung onto him, not wanting to let go. Horatio didn't have the heart to pull her arms off him as it might wake her up. He held on tight to her and lay down with her. Arm around her, Horatio pulled her closer to him so that Calleigh snuggled into him very tightly. He intends to wake up with her very close to him. Shortly after he felt Calleigh relaxing into him, he finally fell asleep.

They were both sleeping peacefully until Calleigh felt a hand holding onto her waist and she woke up immediately. She realized she was not alone in that room. In the bed. She was snuggling into someone as she felt the warmth. Then the unique scent of that particular being, brought her to her senses. It was Horatio. She shifted slightly and broke away from the embrace. Horatio stirred.

"Calleigh…" Horatio called out as he slowly woke up. Calleigh was seated on the bed, staring at Horatio in shock.

"Horatio?" Calleigh was still in shock.

"Calleigh I am so sorry sweetheart…" Horatio apologized as he got up and seated. Horatio reached out to Calleigh to take her hand into his and at that very moment, her hand flew right across his face, slapping him hard. In an instant, he felt the sharp, burning sensation on his cheek. His hand immediately reached to his now reddened cheek, rubbing, to soothe it.

"What was that for Calleigh?" Horatio asked, still trying to wrap his head around the event that just happened. Horatio let his hand down after rubbing his cheek and another tight slap came flying across his face, startling him.

"That was for your children. The first one was from me. For making us suffer. For making us go through all the pain. Do you know how much it hurts Horatio? Do you know?" Calleigh bawled, with tears in her eyes.

"Sweetheart…" Horatio called out softly as he approached her. Calleigh shifted away from him and Horatio stood up to walk over to her, who was still seated at the end of the bed. "Calleigh I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Horatio said after approaching near her and he sat right in front of her.

"Why Horatio? Why are you doing this? How could you even do this? How could you do this to us Horatio?" Calleigh cried so hard that Horatio felt like killing himself for hurting his wife, whom he loves so much.

"Sweetheart…"

"How could you Horatio! How could you do this to me!" Horatio's heart broke at the sight of her crying and hurting. Horatio immediately lunged forward and took her in his arms. She resisted and kept beating him hard on his chest.

"Why Horatio! Why! Why did you have to leave me!" Horatio tightened his grip on her, not letting her break loose from him. "Let me go Horatio! Why did you come back after making me go through all the pain! Let me go!" She was beating and crying into his chest relentlessly, trying to break loose from him but Horatio kept holding onto her very tightly until she finally stopped resisting him. She gave up pushing him away, wrapping her arms around him and cried into his chest.

"I'm sorry Calleigh. I'm so sorry." Horatio held her tight, keeping her close to him as she cried. Suddenly, Horatio heard Calleigh groaned and he loosened his tight grip on her, afraid that he might have just hurt her. "Calleigh?" He gently pushed her away from him. "I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" Horatio held her shoulders and he looked straight into her eyes. Horatio felt guilty all over again. Her eyes were red and puffy. They were filled with sadness and emptiness.

"Argh." Calleigh groaned and Horatio immediately panicked.

"Calleigh sweetheart…you need to lie down and rest…" Horatio said to her softly. He then noticed that she was clutching her abdomen. He feared for the worse.

"Horatio…it hurts so bad…" Calleigh said in between her gasp for air and her groans of immense pain. She was bending forward with both her hands clutching her abdomen.

"Sweetheart, I need you to breathe alright. Help is on the way." Horatio quickly pushed the help button and waited while holding Calleigh in his arms.

"Horatio…please don't leave me…" She pleaded despite her heavy breathings. "Arghh." She groaned again as she felt another wave of immense pain hitting her and she bent further, clutching her abdomen. "It hurts Horatio…" She groaned again.

"I know sweetheart..I know..help is coming. I promise you." Horatio lifted her up into his lap to hold her. "Shh..I'm not leaving you sweetheart."

_'Dammit. Where the hell is the help I need!'_ Horatio screamed in his mind. Just as he was holding her, he felt something warm on his pants.

"Horatio…" Horatio looked at her and she was losing her color. He held his hand just below her and he knew it. He didn't need to see his hand to know that she was bleeding. "Horatio…I can't lose the baby Horatio…please Horatio…I cannot lose the baby…" Calleigh cried softly.

"Sweetheart, you hang in there sweetheart. Just hang in there." Right at that moment, two nurses and a doctor rushed in. Horatio felt like throwing vulgarities at them for coming in late but he knew it wasn't going to help at all.

"What happened?" The doctor asked.

"I don't know but she's bleeding." Horatio's attention was focused on his wife who was groaning and wheezing in pain.

"I need you to step back sir. We have to bring her away." Horatio saw the blood on his hand and he lost all his ability to think. The nurse had to pull him aside and let the doctor pull the bed out of the room to bring Calleigh to the trauma room.

"Calleigh…" Horatio leaned onto the wall and just stared at the blood on his hand. He might lose his baby right now.

_'You're losing it Caine. You're killing your own blood and flesh. You're killing your own wife. So much for wanting to save them.' _Horatio scolded himself.

"Horatio?" A voice called out to him. Horatio turned. "What are you doing here?"

"DADA!"

"I came to see Calleigh." Horatio said weakly. He stared down at his hands then back at the other person. "It's all my fault Francis."

"Shut up Horatio. Stop blaming yourself. What's done is done. Do what you think is right and think wisely. And take these kids of yours." Frank scolded Horatio then handed the twins to Horatio.

"Hold on a minute. I need to wash the blood off my hands." Horatio stood up and left them to make his way to the bathroom. Once done with washing and cleaning himself up, he went out to take the twins off from Frank.

"Hey there you two." Horatio took them in his arms and gave them a kiss each on their cheeks. He took a seat on the sofa since his leg hasn't got better yet. He was still limping.

"DADA." Both of them gurgled at the same time.

Alayna reached out her hand to Horatio's face and started rubbing on his 2-days stubble. She started giggling on her own and Horatio bent down to rub his stubble on her cheeks, which caused her to giggle louder. Horatius on the other hand, was very quiet and was snuggling into Horatio's chest. Horatio held his son tighter to his chest while he lets his daughter play with his stubble and hair.

"Oww." Horatio almost screamed. He looked over to his daughter and she laughed. "Naughty baby." Horatio shook his head. "Sweetheart, you need to stop pulling your daddy's hair or he's going to go bald soon. And daddy can't afford that sweetheart. Criminals will laugh at me." His daughter stared at him and once again, she pulled his hair. Horatio had to pull her away from himself until she lets go of his hair. "No more you little naughty girl." Horatio warned teasingly and pinched her chubby cheek lightly. Alayna grabbed hold of his hand and started sucking on his finger.

"Are you hungry sweetheart?" He asked.

"I just fed her Horatio. What? You think I'm such a bad uncle huh?" Frank replied sarcastically. Horatio chuckled. Then he felt something sharp on his finger and decided to check what it was. He gently pried his daughter's mouth and saw the pearly white popping out from her pink gums. Horatio smiled.

"Aww. Look at you. All grown up and growing your teeth already." Horatio kissed the top of her head.

"She's teething already? But why isn't she cranky? My daughter was crazy cranky you don't even want to come near her." Frank asked, surprised.

"She probably could stand the pain of teething." Horatio replied. "Because daddy's girl is a strong girl. Am I right?" Horatio tickled her with his stubble and she giggled loudly, causing Horatius to look up at his sister. "Aww, you woke your brother up honey." Right then, Horatius started crying and wailing so loud. Horatio looked up at Frank.

"I don't know man. I've done my share just now. You're on your own now." Frank chuckled softly as he took Alayna from Horatio's hand. Horatio stood up slowly and brought his son to the window as he gently rocked him in his arms.

"Look. Cars..You love cars don't you Horatius.." Horatio said, pointing his finger to the cars outside. He kept on crying. Horatio turned his son to look at him and Horatio felt like laughing. His son was looking too adorable when he was crying. His face was flushed and very red. Horatio snuggled him into his chest. He could feel his shirt wet from the tears. Horatius didn't stop crying and finally, as his last straw, he threw up on Horatio.

"Ohh sweetheart. You're throwing up on daddy again aren't you." Horatio checked if his son was having a fever but he wasn't. Frank took the little boy for a little bit while Horatio took off his shirt and handed back the boy to his father.

"Where is his pacifier?" Horatio asked.

"I don't know. They didn't have the pacifier. I thought he rarely used it?" Frank frowned.

"Yeah but in times like this, he does." Horatio rocked his son gently. He took the towel from Frank and wiped his son's face. "Shh…"

"Maybe he's teething also." Frank suggested and Horatio tried checking. He gently opened his son's mouth and felt for anything in his mouth. That was when Horatius held his father's hand and bit his finger, grazing his gums onto it. Horatius calmed down a little.

"He's teething alright." Horatio chuckled slightly when he felt the rough feeling on his finger. Horatius clammed down on his finger and bit it hard. "Ouch." Horatio tried to pull his finger away but his son pulled it harder.

"Well…There's no other way Horatio. There's no pacifier. The only thing available is your finger. Just your luck both your kids are teething at the same time. Hopefully by the end of this, you still have your fingers." Frank teased. Horatio rolled his eyes at him.

As Horatio was still cradling his son in his arms, the doctor came in with his nurse by his side. His face was all-serious and Horatio panicked inside. Still holding onto his son, Horatio stepped forward towards the doctor. Silence fell over them.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N : Sorry for the long wait. I am really trying my best to update as soon as I can but...I hate to say this but I have been having some writers block . it's probably not writers block. I think I'm just lazy. hahaha. But I am trying my best, juggling my school work and fanfic. I will never give up on fanfic. Ever. hhehehe.**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

**Previously...**

As Horatio was still cradling his son in his arms, the doctor came in with his nurse by his side. His face was all-serious and Horatio panicked inside. Still holding onto his son, Horatio stepped forward towards the doctor. Silence fell over them.

* * *

"Ow." Horatio cried out softly and pulled his finger out of his son's mouth. "No more buddy." He held his son closer to him to muffle the sound of the cries.

"How is she doing? Is she alright? How's the baby?" Horatio asked all the questions at one shot without giving the doctor any opportunity to speak up. The doctor stared at him intently.

"Calm down sir. I assume you're her husband? Mr. Caine?" Horatio nodded. "Well, she's still under observation. Before this, I told the other detective that she cannot handle anymore stress or tension. Which part of that does he not understand?" The doctor continued in a reprimanding tone.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Horatio whispered.

"Well of course you didn't know. You're supposed to be missing weren't you." Horatio glared at him. "This whole thing is causing her stress level to shoot up beyond control and I need to be honest to you. This could kill the fetus if it continues." Horatio shifted his focus on the floor, particularly on his shoes.

"Can I see her now?"

"I don't know about that. We don't need her stress level to rise again. We need to see if she's ready." Horatio nodded. "Right now it's up to her if she wants to see you. So, for now, you might want to go back. We will call you if she's ready to see you." The doctor continued and left Horatio in the room.

"What are you gonna do now Horatio?" Frank was the first to speak up.

"I need to leave now Frank. I can't stay any longer. I have to do what I promised." Horatio paused. "I'm sorry."

"So you're going to leave again? Even after almost killing your own child?" Horatio looked down and nodded silently. "What the hell did you promise?" Frank narrowed his eyes and gave Horatio a look that would kill. "And let me warn you, if you're not telling me, I assure you that you're not leaving this room." Frank was firm and stern.

"Well even if I tell you, you're still not going to let me leave." Horatio took a seat on the couch and put Horatius on his lap. "I have to do what the guy told me to. I made a promise. I had to or they're going to get Calleigh. They know where she is."

"So you're telling me that they know you're here?" Horatio nodded and pulled up his undershirt, revealing the wire on him. Horatio yanked them hard and chucked it aside. "What the hell Horatio. And you didn't even bother telling this to us? We could have gotten him Horatio!" Frank almost screamed but was aware that the babies were in there so he softened his tone.

"Look. I don't want her to get into trouble. She's my wife Frank! I can't just let them get to her. I promised them. They're watching. They have ears and eyes all over. And let me tell you.. I begged so hard for them to let me come see Calleigh and I am in deep trouble for yanking that wire off." Horatio was gloomy and full of remorse. The room was filled with so much tension that even the babies could feel it and both of them were very quiet.

"Tell me. What did you promise and what do they want from you?" Horatio took a long breath and sighed.

"20 years ago…when I worked with the NYPD…"

"John Kelly.." Frank interrupted. Horatio looked up at him, shocked.

"You know?"

"The other day when Lisa Maddox was brought in, Calleigh mentioned it and requested that I keep it a secret." Horatio nodded and smiled; an indication of his appreciation.

"So, when I was still with the NYPD, as John Kelly, I worked on a gang, called Hermanos Españoles and I managed to bring down the whole organization. He found me. Lisa Maddox's reappearance wasn't just a coincidence. It was planned. A plan to get to me." Horatio sighed.

"So now tell me what you promised." Frank was very insistent and was impatient.

"They wanted me to run their business for them. They wanted me to build back whatever I destroyed. If I don't do it, they will kill my family. I can't let that happen."

"So now you're on their side?" Frank's eyes widened.

"No I'm not. I need to think of a plan. But I need your help."

"Horatio. This is ridiculous. You are getting yourself into trouble. What if you get caught? What if they break their promise and they still get to your family? If Calleigh knows about this, she's going to flip." Frank paced up and down.

"I know. This is why I need your help Francis. I can't do this alone. I want my family to be safe. And I hope you can help me with that." Horatio almost sighed.

"I don't know how to help you Horatio. Seriously. I don't. I can take care of your kids, all of us can. We can even look after Calleigh but you're the only person she needs. Not us. If you want to get this guy, you have to have everything planned out to the very end. Now tell me what you intend to do." Horatio looked up at Frank who was still holding onto his daughter.

"I will need to gain their trust first before I can take them down."

"So that means you're working for them now. I can't believe this Horatio. How long Horatio. You and I both know that this is not some kind of chase and arrest job. This might even take you months, even years. Are you willing to do that?" Horatio focused his attention on his daughter now, thoughts swimming through his mind. Frank was right. To take them down, it could take months, or worse, years and he definitely don't like the idea of being apart from his family. He pondered.

"Horatio." Frank called out when he noticed the silence between them. Horatio was far away. His mind was somewhere else and Frank could tell from his expression.

"I don't know." Horatio sighed. "I didn't think as far as that. All I know is that I have to keep my family safe. I don't want anything to happen to them." Horatio rubbed his face with his free hand and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What about Calleigh and the kids then? Are they supposed to know about this? The team? What do you want me to tell them?" Frank asked all the questions in one breathe, leaving Horatio stunned.

"Well, if they cannot find me, the case will be dropped. I'm sure they will have something better to do than be left hanging with no answers. Tell them to drop the case within a week." Frank shook his head.

"Damn. You're telling me to lie about this? That's like obstruction of justice." Frank's tone softened at the end of the sentence. "What if they find out the truth? I can't risk it Horatio."

"Tell them I made you do it. I have to do it." Horatio insisted.

"Okay. So now what do I tell Calleigh?"

"Tell her I will come back for her. It might take time but I will come back to her." Horatio paused. "I will think of something and I will contact you. You won't be able to reach me. Only I will be able to reach out to you. And please Frank, you're the only one who knows about this right now." Frank nodded in understanding.

"You better do this right Horatio. And come back. Safe and alive." Horatio nodded. He then stood up and kissed Horatius on the top of his head before placing him into the stroller that Frank brought with him. After placing Horatius in the stroller, he went towards Frank and took his daughter into his arms then did the same as Horatius. He knelt by the side of the stroller and focused his attention on the two toddlers who were looking at him, expecting him to carry them. Blue eyes met with blue eyes and Horatio felt his heart swell with regrets.

"I need to go now. I will contact you. Please take good care of them for me." Horatio said softly and left the room. He made his way to the lobby where a huge white man with tattoos all over his arm was waiting by the black SUV. The look he had on his face was intimidating and menacing. From that, Horatio knew that he was in very deep trouble. He walked over, shoulders slumped. His fate was now in their hands. The moment Horatio neared the man, he shoved Horatio into the car and they immediately drove off.

"You're testing us huh Lieutenant. Pushing your boundaries with us? You do realize that your fate is in our hands right? Even your family's fate?" The man growled menacingly at Horatio as he shoved Horatio to the window and pressed his hand against Horatio's wounded thigh. Horatio groaned.

"I'm already doing what you want me to do. Why would you want to bother my family anymore. Just don't touch them. Leave them alone." Horatio said through his gritted teeth. As the man pressed onto his wound, he felt something warm on his leg. His wound was bleeding again.

"When we reach, I want you to start planning. Everything. I want everything in detail." Horatio glared at him. "Don't give me that look. You got yourself into trouble when you brought down my damn organization! You should have thought about the consequences in the first place." The man screamed into Horatio's face, saliva spattering all over his face. Horatio wiped his face immediately. Throughout the whole journey, Horatio kept quiet, looking out the window, trying to think of a plan. He knew that now, he's on an unofficial undercover mission.

Meanwhile, in the hospital, Frank waited for Calleigh to be awake. He placed himself and the two toddlers in the visitor's lounge. Both toddlers were fast asleep in their stroller. Frank glanced over at both children and sighed. He wished Horatio was wise enough not to comply to the plans. He would definitely try to help Horatio but he needed more than what Horatio told him. He sighed again, thinking of a way to tell Calleigh about Horatio's plans and he knew that she will be not be receptive of it. He was worried about how she would react and how it would harm her unborn baby if she were to get stressed all over again. Staring out the window, Frank thought of all the consequences of Horatio's actions. He was even thinking of how to make Mac drop the case. Mac and Horatio's team were still busy, trying to find any clues that would lead them to Horatio. From the way Mac was working on the case, Frank knew that he would never drop the case. Mac was very determined to find Horatio since he blamed himself for Horatio's disappearance. Frank realized that Mac would have to know about this so that the plan will go smoothly. He decided to call Mac to meet up in private. Horatio may not approve of this but he knew better to inform someone else; someone whom he trust and not close to Horatio. He didn't need any more personal involvement and emotions.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N : Sorry for the long wait. I am really trying my best to update as soon as I can but...I hate to say this but I have been having some writers block . it's probably not writers block. I think I'm just lazy. hahaha. But I am trying my best, juggling my school work and fanfic. I will never give up on fanfic. Ever. hhehehe.**

**Hey Guest, thank you for your very constructive feedback. But I just hope you would hang on. I'm still in the process of writing and planning. So I'd appreciate your patience. But anyway, I will try to adapt to your request but sometimes, that's just not my style. Some writers and readers prefer dialogues than too much descriptive. People do get bored reading too many words. But hey, that's just me. So, cheers.**

**To other reviewers, I appreciate your patience and your awesome support ;)**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

**Previously...**

Frank realized that Mac would have to know about this so that the plan will go smoothly. He decided to call Mac to meet up in private. Horatio may not approve of this but he knew better to inform someone else; someone whom he trust and not close to Horatio. He didn't need any more personal involvement and emotions.

* * *

"Hey Mac, are you busy? 'Cause I need to talk to you. In private." Frank's tone was insistent.

"Okay. Where do you want to meet?" Mac asked over on the other line.

Can we meet at my house? We have more privacy there. I'll be waiting." Frank replied as he made his way out of the hospital with the stroller. He saw no point of waiting at the hospital when Calleigh is not ready to meet anyone. He made his way back home and the moment he arrived, Mac was already waiting outside his apartment. He greeted Mac then ushered him into his apartment and proceeded to put the toddlers into the room. By the time Frank came out of the room, Mac was already seated on the couch, making himself at home. Frank smiled, knowing that at least Mac was comfortable around him. He knew that telling Mac about Horatio would be easier. He started the coffee and made his way to the living then settled down on the couch opposite Mac. With hands clasped together, leaning forward, he sighed. Mac's curiosity peaked.

"So you wanted to talk to me. In private. What is it about?" Mac asked, raising his eyebrows.

"It's about this case." Mac looked at him questioningly. "About Horatio." Now he has gotten all of Mac's attention. Mac sat up straight and focused on Frank.

"He's alive isn't he?" Mac asked even before Frank manages to utter a single word. Frank looked at him in shock.

"How'd you know?" Mac sighed.

"I figured." Frank looked at him quizzically. "There wasn't much blood on the scene anyway. Besides, you weren't as worried as the others. So I figured you know something about it. You wanna tell me about it?" Frank nodded silently.

"He's alive and kicking." Mac was keeping his calm as he listened to Frank. Apparently, Mac had expected Horatio to be alive since there was not much blood at the crime scene. He relaxed into the couch. Frank kept on talking and explaining the situation to Mac. As he had thought earlier, he needed to involve Mac so that the plan would take place smoothly. He explained the situation thoroughly so that Mac could understand and later help them. As they were talking, Frank's phone rang. It was an unknown number and he immediately knew it was Horatio. He puts the phone on speaker so that Mac could listen to the conversation but Mac had to keep quiet. They didn't want Horatio to know that Mac will be involved. Frank knew that Horatio would start to back out if anyone else were to be involved.

Horatio started explaining his plan. He knew…No..He realized that no matter what happens, Calleigh, his wife, will have to know about his plan. He was going to gain the trust of the gang members and the leader himself. He would even do whatever it takes to gain the trust. He needed them to trust him and slowly with that, he will bring them down. Frank didn't agree on it because he knew that this would only end up badly. Frank tried to convince Horatio that his plan wasn't going to work. He didn't want his friend to go deep into it. He has seen too many undercover cops going in too deep and never getting out of it. As they were talking on the phone, the line suddenly went dead. Frank cursed and almost threw his phone on the wall but Mac stopped him.

Amidst the anger, Mac spoke up and suggested that the twins be taken care by someone else since they wouldn't have the time to focus on them. Frank pondered. He really didn't want to let anyone else take the babies but he knew Mac was right. Having the babies around would make things more complicated and it would increase the risk. The only person he could think of was Yelina. Alexx was of course his first choice but given the circumstance and her busy schedule, he knew that she couldn't possibly handle the two children. Yelina on the other hand, she runs her own private investigation company and maybe, she could help them. They are family after all. He made the call to Yelina and explained to her the situation, not the full story but just a gist of it. Yelina only knows that Calleigh is in the hospital while Horatio is out of town on a case and they need a babysitter badly. As he was explaining, he heard Yelina gasped when he told her that Calleigh was in the hospital and even volunteered to take care of her. She was willing to take a few weeks away from work since she had no project on hand. A few hours later, Yelina appeared at Frank's doorstep, prepared to take both the babies.

"I'm sorry to bother you. But as you know…I'm not really the best fit for a babysitter. Alexx is too busy. Just hope Horatio will be back soon." They went to take the babies then back down. Frank followed behind her. As he was walking, Horatius blurted something that sounded like his name. He shrugged it off but he heard it again and now, he was pretty sure that Horatius was calling him. It was not exactly his name, Frank but it was more like 'Fank'. He smiled at the baby. At the thought of the baby calling his name and having a sense of attachment with him despite being with him for only a few days. However, thinking again, the children should know and remember him well since they spend a lot of time in the lab. He chuckled at himself. He loved this baby as much as he loves his own children. He has already considered them his own.

"Please take care of them." Frank said before he closed the car door for Yelina. He made sure he buckled the babies in the back seat safely. He just hoped that this would end soon for the Caine family. The children didn't need to suffer this any longer. He went back into the house and found Mac writing on a piece of paper. It looked like a mind map but he didn't exactly know what it was for. He stepped closer and peered over Mac's shoulder.

"Suggestions maybe?" Mac turned to Frank. "Look, I know Horatio isn't that stupid but maybe we could help him out a little." Frank nodded and took a seat.

"I think he knows what to…" Before Frank could finish his sentence, his phone rang again. It was Horatio once again. Initially, Frank was angry with Horatio for ending the call abruptly; angry that did not explain his plan in detail but he answered the call anyway, hoping that this time Horatio would have come up with something better. Much to his surprise, Horatio did come up with something better. In fact, it was a very detailed plan and it was indeed feasible. Horatio would still work with them, but there would be a catch, of course. As he had put it nicely, Horatio would be making the gang vulnerable. In a harsher term, Horatio would be endangering them, maybe killing them as well. Horatio would still be formulating and forming the drugs for the Hermanos Españoles but with the help of Frank, he will make sure that it fails. He will make sure that it would lead to an explosion, leading to the destruction of the whole warehouse where he will be manufacturing the drugs. Horatio was determined to make it happen.

Before that plan were placed in motion, Horatio needed to see Calleigh. He needed to tell her what was going on. Although he knew that Calleigh would probably still be angry, he needed to come clean with her. After all, she is his wife.

Meanwhile, at the warehouse, the Hermanos Españoles have already prepared all the equipment for Horatio to carry out the operation. Everything was complete. All Horatio needed was the ingredients to make the drugs. Being a CSI, he knew everything he needed to do and he, without doubt knew what would cause it to fail and lead to an explosion. He was after all, from the bomb squad.

"Get ready. I want this to be a success. One mess up and your family is done." The main leader, whom Horatio know as Tu Amante Apasionado has already have a name. Enrico Martinez. The guy who has been haunting Horatio finally had a name. Horatio overheard one of the men calling him by his last name and he immediately knew whom he was dealing with. Enrico was Lisa Santorio's ex-fiancé.

Previously, when Horatio was working with the NYPD, Hermanos Españoles was under the management of Lisa's father and Enrico was his right-hand man. On the day that Horatio was tasked to take their operation down, a massive shooting happened and Horatio shot the gas tank that caused a major explosion. It killed most of their members including Lisa's father. Enrico on the other hand, had his face burnt severely and because of that, not only had he lost the business, which was going to be his one day, but he also lost his fiancé. Lisa didn't want a disfigured man and this angered him further.

"Where are the ingredients?" Horatio asked as he glanced over at the empty table.

"It will be here soon. Just wait and do your work." Enrico growled. True to his words, the ingredients arrived within a few minutes. Horatio studied the ingredients on the table. It was exactly as Horatio have told them to get. All he needed to do was cook it but he had other plans in mind. Horatio was curious to why Enrico couldn't cook his own drugs but he didn't want to ask. Maybe Enrico just wanted him to pay back his sins but this was his opportunity to get even and he was going to take this chance.

* * *

"Alexx? What's up?" Frank answered the call.

"Honey, you need to come to the hospital. Now. It's about Calleigh."

"Alexx what is it?"

"It doesn't look good Frank. You need to come quick." Before Frank could say anything else, the line went dead.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N : Sorry for the very long wait. I was swarmed with school work.. Four 2000 words essay ain't easy. hahaha. But nevertheless, I managed to get it done and now I'm back to work on my fanfics. **

**To my loyal readers and reviewers, thank you for your support and thanks for staying through the story.**

**I hope this was worth the wait**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

**Previously...**

"Alexx? What's up?" Frank answered the call.

"Honey, you need to come to the hospital. Now. It's about Calleigh."

"Alexx talk to me."

"It doesn't look good Frank. You need to come quick." Before Frank could say anything else, the line went dead.

* * *

Frank and Mac immediately made their way to the hospital and met Alexx along the hallway. She was pacing up and down with her hands on her hips.

"Alexx!" Frank rushed to her side along with Mac. She immediately turned and hugged Frank as tight as she could. He returned the hug, holding her as she cried into his chest. He held her there until she managed to calm herself and let him go. "What happened Alexx?"

"She lost the baby Francis."

"What! Dammit!" Frank turned to the wall, wanting to punch the wall in anger but Mac quickly pulled his hand away and told him to calm down because punching the wall wouldn't do any help. After Frank calmed down, Mac let go of his hand and guided them to the waiting area. All of them took a seat and looked at each other in remorse.

"Now Dr. Woods, what exactly happened?" Mac asked calmly, still addressing Alexx formally.

"Alexx. Just call me Alexx." Mac nodded. "The nurses found her at the bottom of the stairs. They don't know how she got there but when they found her, she was sprawled on the floor, already bleeding." Alexx was trying her best to control her tears but she failed. It was too heartbreaking just thinking of Calleigh. Calleigh was her very good friend and she didn't know how to break the news to her that she lost her baby. First, it was Horatio. Now, her baby. It was too much for someone to handle in a week. No matter how strong her friend is, Alexx knew that this would be very tough on her.

The three of them sat in silence. Neither of them wanted to speak until Frank did. "Does Calleigh know already?" Alexx shook her head. Just then, Frank's phone rang. He looked at the ID and excused himself out of the waiting room then went to answer the call. It was Horatio. He growled to himself. He was debating within himself whether to shout into the phone and tell Horatio what happened or keep calm. He answered the phone then put the call on hold to call Mac out of the waiting room. Alexx looked at them questioningly, wanting to know what was going on between them but they both ignored her look and took their leave. Frank then continued talking to Horatio on the phone while Mac waited silently.

"It's time." Frank said to Mac as he put down the phone. Mac nodded and they both made their way back to the carpark and made their way to the location told by Horatio. They needed to be there in 15 minutes. Horatio was going to launch his plan and he needed their assistance. Frank sped through traffic, running all-red lights just to make it in time to the location. He called for back-ups and even called for an ambulance in case there was a need for medical attention. All were informed to shut their sirens so as to not alarm them. Once they arrived on location, Frank instructed them to take their positions. They were all positioned further away from the warehouse.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Alexx was in Calleigh's room, waiting for her to wake up. As a good friend, Alexx was going to be there for her friend when the doctor breaks the bad news to her. She would be there to hold her and to comfort her. Alexx took a seat on the couch and fell asleep for a few minutes until she heard a groan coming from Calleigh. She immediately woke up and jumped straight beside Calleigh to soothe her. Right when she tried to soothe Calleigh, green eyes met brown.

"Hey sugar. I'm glad you're awake." Alexx gave her a weak smile while Calleigh looked at her with a blank face. "You're alright. You're gonna be alright." She soothed her friend as her hand brushed Calleigh's hair off her face. Alexx then went out to call the doctor to check on Calleigh. As they waited for the doctor to arrive, Alexx noticed that Calleigh have been looking out the window and not utter a single word to her. Calleigh has been very distant nowadays and haven't been talking to her. She was getting worried for her friend.

Morning Mrs. Caine." The doctor greeted but Calleigh remained quiet. "Mrs. Caine…" The doctor called out and this time, Calleigh turned towards the doctor. She had tears in her eyes. "I'm Dr. Kennedy. I'm in charge of you." Calleigh nodded. She blinked a few times to get rid of the tears in her eyes but it was not working. The tears made through past her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. The doctor sighed and finally took a deep breath then started breaking the news to her that she had lost her unborn child due to the fall she had on the stairs. Calleigh started bawling and blaming herself for killing her own child. Alexx took a step forward and took her friend into her arms, holding her close. Calleigh held onto Alexx as tight as she could, as if she was holding on to her dear life. She was sobbing endlessly. She kept blaming herself for the mishap.

"Calleigh it's not your fault baby. It's not your fault." Alexx gently rubbed Calleigh's back. She could feel her shirt getting damp from Calleigh's tears but she didn't mind. If her friend needed a shoulder to cry on, she would gladly be there for her. After minutes of being in that position, Calleigh finally let go of her grip on Alexx.

"Baby, you're going to be fine. It's not your fault." Alexx looked at Calleigh with such gentleness in her eyes.

"I killed my own baby Alexx. I shouldn't have stepped out of the room." Calleigh continued crying. "I just wanted to find Horatio. I need him Alexx. I need him. It's my fault that we lost the baby. Horatio will be mad at me for not taking care of our child." She was shaking violently and Alexx once again had to hold her until she calmed down. Exhaustion finally took over Calleigh and she fell asleep on Alexx's shoulder. Alexx lay her on the bed and sat at the bedside. Alexx knew that this would be tough on her friend who just lost her child. She knew it wasn't easy for a woman to lose a child. It was emotionally painful for Calleigh. What was more difficult was that her husband wasn't there to comfort her; to tell her that it was going to be alright. Watching Calleigh cry and blaming herself was very painful. _If only Horatio was here…._

"Are you starting or not with that thing?" The man screamed from behind, startling Horatio for a minute. Horatio was focusing on the things in front of him. The ingredients needed were already unpacked and staring back at him. All he needed to do was to put them all together and start cooking it. All eyes were on him, guarding, so that he wouldn't try to mess up. Horatio was feeling uneasy about this. He wanted his plan to go smoothly but with the people watching over him, it would be difficult for him. In the end, he spoke up.

"Can you stop staring and let me do my work here? You know I won't mess things up. You already are watching my family. I wouldn't dare mess it up as long as you don't hurt them." Horatio said calmly as he kept his hands busy. The men watching over him gave him a leeway and stepped away from him, giving him some space. He mixed all the ingredients together then proceeded to boil it. He was waiting for the right time to put his plans into action. Horatio glanced at his watch. It has been 10 minutes since he called Frank and he silently prayed that Frank have already arrived on location. He waited. And waited. He glanced at his watch one last time and he knew this was it. It was now or never. He was going to destroy the whole warehouse and even destroy the Hermanos Españoles once and for all. This way, they will never be able to haunt his family and cause harm. He increased the intensity of the fire and then asked for permission to get himself cleaned. He knew, that in order for the mixture to get overheated, it would take a few minutes and he needed that few minutes to get away to save himself. He prayed hard that his plan would work. He needed to get back to his wife, to his family. He waited. Again. In the bathroom, he took out the plastic bag from the toilet tank. He kept his cellphone in there so that none of the members of Hermanos Españoles would suspect anything. He started typing.

_It's done. If I don't come out alive, please tell Calleigh that I love her and I did this for our children. Tell her I'm sorry._

Just as he pressed the 'SEND' button, the door of the bathroom was kicked open and the man in charge of taking care of him saw the phone in his hands. Immediately, the man threw a punch to Horatio's face and unprepared, he flew across the bathroom and landed just by the toilet. His lips were torn open and he was bleeding. Horatio tried standing up but the man grabbed hold of his neck and lifted him off the ground. It was easy for the man. He was much bigger and muscular compared to Horatio. Horatio struggled but the more he struggled, the tighter the grip was. The man took a punch on his lower abdomen but Horatio was relentlessly trying to escape. He punched Horatio once again. This time, harder than the previous one, causing Horatio to spit out blood. Horatio finally stopped fighting and gave in. The man let go of him and Horatio just slid down the wall. He was in so much pain that he couldn't muster the strength to stand up.

"You try that again and I will make sure you will never see your family again." The man yelled at him. Horatio had tears in his eyes.

_'I will never see my family again no matter what I do.'_ He thought to himself. The man left him in the bathroom and took the cellphone with him. Horatio glanced at his watch. By this time, he knew that the mixture would start boiling and start to overheat. He needed to escape but he couldn't when he couldn't get up. He wouldn't be fast enough to escape the explosion. Horatio slowly crawled out of the bathroom since he couldn't stand up and made his way towards the door. Just as he was nearing the door, a voice stopped him. It was Enrico.

"Just where do you think you're going? Trying to escape? Not a chance brother." Horatio turned. "You just got caught with a cellphone. Don't think I don't know what you're planning." Horatio panicked inside, afraid that he just blew his cover. "You ain't going anywhere. Let me tell you this.." Enrico leaned towards Horatio. "I will get to your-"

***BOOM***

Horatio took cover quickly, keeping his face away, tucked under his arms. He felt an excruciating pain and his world turned black. Meanwhile, outside, Frank and Mac looked at each other. The warehouse had exploded and they had taken cover behind their doors. They both had a worried look on their faces. Frank immediately called for fire rescue. Giving a few minutes for the fire to become less violent, they started making their way towards the burning warehouse. They needed to make sure the survivors could be saved. Backups were with them along with the paramedics. Frank ordered the backups to split up to canvas the surrounding area and search for any live ones as they waited for fire rescue. There were none. Within a few minutes, fire rescue arrived and put out the fire.

"Listen up! I want all of you to search everywhere. I don't want you to leave any spots unchecked. Lieutenant Caine is in there and I need you to find him!" Frank ordered authoritatively. All of them nodded and started walking away to canvas the warehouse. Mac reached out to Frank, squeezing his shoulder.

"He's in there Frank. We will find him." Frank turned and nodded then made his way into the torched building to look for Horatio. They called out for Horatio but there was no answer. The rest of the backups didn't find him either. They found a few dead bodies that belonged to the members of Hermanos Españoles. Frank searched again and found another body near the door. Mac went over to help him turn the body to identify it but to their dismay, it wasn't Horatio. Just when they turned the body over, they saw a hand underneath the debris and Frank immediately recognize the watch. It was Horatio's. Mac looked over at Frank and they quickly removed the debris off him.

"Come on Horatio. You better be breathing." Frank yelled as he removed the debris. He heard a groan. His heart jumped and that moment, he increased his speed. Within seconds, they could already see Horatio's bloody face. Mac gasped when he saw a debris stuck on his lower abdomen.

"Frank…" Mac called out as his eyes directed Frank to the debris that was sticking out of Horatio's lower abdomen.

"Come on H. Stay with us. We're getting you out of here." Frank said out loud as he carried Horatio out of the building then made his way to place him on the stretcher that was waiting. "Get him to the hospital as quick as possible." The paramedics nodded and lifted him into the ambulance then drove off. Frank drove in front of the ambulance to make sure that every car gave way. As soon as they made it to the hospital, Horatio was immediately transferred to the ER. Both Mac and Frank waited at the waiting room.

"Hey Frank, you wanna get coffee? This would take long and we've had a long day." Frank looked up at him and thought about it. He finally agreed and they both made their way to the cafeteria where they met Alexx. Alexx stood there speechless when she saw the blood on Frank's shirt.

"Francis what happened?" Alexx asked in a panic tone.

"Horatio got hurt. He…uhm…he got stuck under debris when the warehouse exploded." Frank tried his best to keep himself calm and not break down.

"What do you mean Horatio?" Alexx looked at him quizzically. "Frank?"

"Horatio is still alive Alexx. He put himself in danger to keep his family safe. Now he's in the ER." Alexx sighed. "Can you help check on him?"

"I will see what I can do but first, I need to give these to Calleigh. She must be sick of hospital food."

"She knows already?" Alexx nodded and then left him to head to Calleigh's room.

"Hey baby. I bought for you some sandwich. I figured you must be sick of hospital food…" Calleigh smiled and helped herself to the sandwich that Alexx bought. She didn't say much to Alexx. She was fairly quiet ever since the doctor told her that she lost her baby. After she finished the sandwich, she just curled up into the bed and turned herself away from Alexx. She didn't want to see anyone nor talk to anyone. She wanted to be left alone.

"Calleigh, Horatio's in the ER. He's fighting for his life baby." Calleigh still was not talking to her and she decided to look for the doctor in charge of Horatio. It wasn't difficult to find the doctor. Alexx found him talking to Frank and Mac near the operating theatre in the waiting room. She joined in the conversation, wanting to know about Horatio's condition. Alexx only heard half the conversation.

"He's still under intensive care. We will have to see when he wakes up. It could take a few hours..It could take days. It depends." Frank and Mac nodded. The doctor left them there.

"What did he say?"

"Massive trauma to the lower part of the body. And his head. From the explosion. We just have to wait for him to wake up. Did you tell Calleigh about this?" Alexx nodded.

"She's not saying a word. At all." Frank shrugged and made his way to Horatio's room with Mac and Alexx. Horatio was looking so fragile with the tubes plugged into his body. Frank hated seeing his best friend so vulnerable. It was like déjà vu. The last time this happened was when Horatio was trying to kill himself. That was almost 2 years ago. He couldn't stand seeing Horatio like this anymore.

"Do you think Calleigh wants to be here?" Alexx shrugged.

"I'll try." Alexx went to Calleigh's room to talk to her. To get her to see Horatio. Alexx knew that Calleigh would be the first person whom Horatio wanted to see. Calleigh however, did not budge. She did not turn. She did not utter a single word. She did not seem affected by the fact that Horatio was in a critical condition.

"Calleigh, he needs you in there. He's fighting for his life, baby. He needs you by his side." Alexx tried again.

"He wasn't here when I needed him." Calleigh answered softly. "Alexx, don't force me to do what I don't want to do. I don't want to see him. Period. Just leave me alone. I'm pretty sure he will be fine. Just like I was fine without him." Alexx sighed.

Even after a few days, Horatio still have not woken up and Calleigh was still being her usual stubborn self. She did not back down. She still did not want to see Horatio. Alexx gave up. Calleigh was released from the hospital while Horatio still haven't woken up. Every single day, Alexx would visit Horatio after working hours, including the rest of the team members except for Calleigh. That particular day, as Alexx was talking to him softly while he was still unconscious, she felt his fingers move under her hands. She thought it was just a muscle reflex but she felt it move again and this time, he saw his eyes flicker. He was finally waking up.

"Horatio honey, come on. It's time for you to wake up." She encouraged him and stood by his side as he was trying to wake up. Slowly, he finally opened his eyes. Blue eyes met brown. Alexx smiled at him. "Hey. Welcome back Horatio. We've been waiting for you for so long." She continued smiling at him.

"Who are you?"

"Horatio? Please don't play such trick on me." He gave a blank look.

"Who are you?" He asked again. Alexx looked at him, unable to say anything.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N : Quick chapter. I hope you like it. I know the previous chapter left you hanging..thinking of things that happened. im trying to update as much as i could but exams are coming..so pardon me if im really slow...**

**To my loyal readers and reviewers, thank you for your support and thanks for staying through the story.**

**I hope this was worth the wait**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

**Previously...**

"Who are you?"

"Horatio? Please don't play such trick on me." He gave a blank look.

"Who are you?" He asked again. Alexx looked at him, unable to say anything.

* * *

Horatio looked around him and everything looked very unfamiliar to him. He looked at the woman standing by his bedside, calling to him. He didn't recognize her. Horatio frowned when he couldn't figure who was standing beside him. He was confused. He didn't know what had happened or what is going on around him. He tried shutting his eyes to try to remember the past events but he ended up being agitated. He couldn't remember. Not even his own name. He tried again; to recall the events, to try to remember his name but he couldn't.

"Baby you hang in there. I'm going to talk to your doctor." Alexx gently tapped his shoulder and left the room to find the doctor. The doctor explained that the hit on the head had caused major trauma and had cost him his memory. The doctor went to do some checks on Horatio and had determined that he doesn't remember who he was. He explained that Horatio was suffering from Retrograde Amnesia caused by the blast and hit to the head. Alexx almost broke down into tears. She couldn't believe that Horatio, the man she respected the most has lost his memory. The doctor told her that he might regain his memory or he might never regain it. As a warning, the doctor reminded her that Horatio cannot withstand any stress and that they might need to jog his memory to help him recover. However, Alexx knew that this was not an easy process. It would take a lot of patience and a lot of time. Horatio needed moral and emotional support but now that Calleigh has decided to not visit him, Alexx didn't know what to do.

She went back into the room and found Horatio moving violently in his bed. Quickly, she ran to his side and held his head down to the pillow and the other free hand called for help. Within seconds, two nurses came in quickly sedated him. After Horatio calmed down and stopped shaking violently, Alexx managed to breathe and calm herself down. She knew she needed to talk to Calleigh about this. Although Calleigh might still be angry at Horatio, he needs her now and Calleigh was the only person left in his life. He may have the team but Calleigh will forever be his pillar of strength. Seeing that Horatio had fallen asleep, Alexx stepped out and went to find Calleigh at her house. Calleigh went back to her house after she was released from the hospital and took the twins back from Yelina. She hadn't gone back to work yet ever since. She was given a few weeks of medical leave.

"Hey Alexx. What are you doing here? I thought you're working?"

"No, I was just from the hospital." At the mention of the word 'hospital', Calleigh's vibrant smile became a frown. "Calleigh, I know you're angry at him but he needs you Sugar." Calleigh shook her head and focused her attention to the floor. She invited Alexx in and they both sat on the couch where Calleigh could monitor her children who are in their playpen playing with their toys.

_'7 months and they have to suffer without their father…'_ Alexx thought.

"Calleigh we need to talk…" Calleigh refused. She ignored Alexx and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water for her friend. Instead of staying in the living room, Alexx followed her. Calleigh tried with all her might to avoid having the conversation with Alexx but in the end, as she flopped herself back onto the couch, Alexx with stern voice and look in her face, decided that they need to have the conversation. Calleigh couldn't escape. She needed to face Alexx and she knew that if she were to try to run away from this conversation, Alexx would flip.

"He needs you Calleigh. He just woke up." Calleigh didn't reply. She just stared into the playpen where her children were playing and communicating with each other. "He has Retrograde Amnesia." Calleigh turned so quick that she could have snapped her neck. She gasped.

"What?" She silently asked.

"He has Retrograde Amnesia baby. He can't remember anything. Not even me. Please baby, he needs you. You're the only family he has, left. You're his pillar of strength." Alexx sighed. "I've seen him get agitated trying to remember things he couldn't. He can't even remember his own name. I'm here only because the nurses sedated him. Please Calleigh. I know you're angry but please. Give him a chance."

"Alexx…" Calleigh spoke up softly; she was almost whispering. "I'm not angry at him. I was angry, yes. But that was only for a while. I can't stay angry at him. I love him. I was scared Alexx. And I'm still scared. I lost the baby. Our baby." Calleigh started sobbing. "I can never stay angry at him." She repeated.

"Then Calleigh, please see him."

"I don't know Alexx. I'm still scared."

"Calleigh, you can't be scared forever. One day, you still have to face him and tell him. The child was still his Calleigh. He has the right to know."

"There's no need now." Alexx frowned.

"Calleigh, you can't just leave him confused for the rest of his life. Look at those two children." Alexx pointed out to Alayna and Horatius. "They need their father. Horatio needs them. You can't just leave him like that. He needs to know that he has a family. That he has two children that he loved so much and waiting for him to come home. That he has a family that he loved. A wife that he could never live without. You love him Calleigh. I know that. You still love him. Don't leave him hanging baby. Don't leave him confused. He needs someone to help him." Calleigh looked up to Alexx. Her eyes were red. Alexx took Calleigh into her arms.

"I love him Alexx. But I'm afraid. I don't know what to do. I've lost him now Alexx. I shouldn't have left him." Alexx slowly let her go and looked at her in the eyes.

"You haven't lost him baby. He's still there. Waiting for someone to save him. I know you still love him. So go to him. Save him. He needs you and you need him. But baby, let me remind you…this is going to take a lot of patience. He can't remember all that has happened." Calleigh nodded. She understood what Alexx meant. She understood that Horatio suffering from amnesia meant that he doesn't remember having a family, having a wife or having children. But to hell with that. Calleigh knew that she has to do this. To save Horatio. She will love him in sickness and in health. That was their vow together when they got married. She loved him and will love him forever. She was determined to save Horatio from all his confusion and if he cannot remember who she was, then she will try to help him with it, even if it means making him fall in love with her all over again. She was going to give her best shot at it.

At the hospital, Calleigh kept a strong front. She wanted to break down but she knew she could not do so. She needed to stay strong. For Horatio. Alexx gave her space and left her alone to be with Horatio while she took both Horatius and Alayna somewhere else. Once Calleigh entered the room, she couldn't help but notice Horatio's pale face with his head was bandaged. She loved how peaceful he looked when he was sleeping. She smiled to herself thinking of the times she woke up to Horatio's peaceful look, with his hair ruffled and messy. A tear made its way down her cheek. She quickly wiped it off. She couldn't help but think that she would never wake up to Horatio by her side.

"Who are you?" The voice spoke up and Calleigh tried to compose herself. She stepped forward and introduced herself to the man.

"Hi. I'm Calleigh. Calleigh Duquesne." She felt a lump grow in her throat. She knew she was on the verge of crying when she introduced herself as Calleigh Duquesne. She was getting used to calling herself Calleigh Caine. Horatio looked at her. "Uhm..I'm here to help you. I was uhm…I was your friend." It hurt so much that she had to call herself as his friend and not his wife. Yes, they were friends, maybe even best friends but to call herself a friend to him, just hurt so much. Calleigh controlled her tears.

"Well…I'd introduce myself to you but I don't really know my name. I heard the other woman call me Horatio…but…uhm..I don't know. Is that my name?" Horatio gave her a look that looked like a small boy asking a question. She missed that look on his face. Calleigh smiled at him and he smiled back. With this woman in front of him, he felt something. Something that he can't place a finger on. He didn't know what, but there was something about this woman that was different. He felt comfortable around her. He liked her presence. It was as if they had some special connection. He felt like there was something connecting them together.

"Yes. Your name is Horatio. Horatio Caine." Horatio frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Well…That's an odd name." Calleigh chuckled despite being a little sad and overwhelmed with the whole situation.

"You once told me that your mum named you after a poet. Horatio Alger."

"Oh." He gave a brief answer. "I take it we're close?" Horatio looked at her. "I don't mean to be rude…But…I mean…you know about how my name came about…"

"That's okay. We were. We still are. I am your second in command." Horatio looked at her questioningly. Calleigh took a seat on the chair beside him. "Uhm…before the accident, you worked as a police officer. You're a lieutenant in the crime lab. And I'm your second in command." Horatio frowned. _'And your wife.'_ Calleigh continued in her thoughts.

"How old am I?" Calleigh chuckled slightly.

"Well…you're 48…your birthday is on 7th April. And you were born in New York." Horatio nodded and thanked her for the information.

"So uhm…do you know when I can get out of this place?" Calleigh smiled again, knowing that the man he knew was still there. Horatio never liked the hospitals and he tries his best to avoid it. "I'm getting bored." Calleigh shook her head. She knew she had hope.

"You're still the same man. Still do not favor the hospitals." He smiled at her and she felt her whole world spinning. How she missed that boyish grin of his. It had been too long.

"But…if I were to get out of this place, I do have a place right?" That question caught Calleigh off guard. She had forgotten about it. She will definitely bring him home but there was no way that he can see the wedding photos and their family portraits. The doctor had warned them to take it slow. They couldn't just throw everything on him. It would stress him out. She had to take down all the photos and anything else that could act as a trigger. She didn't want him to be pushed. She will slowly let the information sink into him day-by-day.

"Uhm…I definitely won't let you stay alone. How about you stay with me? I can take care of you. Besides, I have an extra room."

"I don't want to impose on you."

"Ha-Horatio…you're not imposing. We're a family."

"A family? You mean…" Calleigh wanted to kick herself. She shouldn't have said that. She even almost called him by his pet name. She needed to keep her cool and not slip such things.

"Yeah. A family. A team. You always called your team your family." She managed to cover herself nicely. "But Horatio, I hope you don't mind that I have a pair of twins at home."

"Oh. You're a mother. I never expected that. You don't look like you've even given birth. Especially with your slim and fit figure." Calleigh blushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to check you out. I was out of line. I'm sorry." Horatio apologized when he noticed that she was quiet and blushing. He realized that he had been checking her out ever since she stepped into the room. But then again, she was an attractive woman and no one could blame him if he were to check her out. "Wouldn't your husband mind if I stayed at your place?" Calleigh almost choked on her own saliva when he asked that question. She didn't know what to answer him. She wasn't prepared for this question. She should have thought about this when she asked him to stay with her so that she can take care of him. She mentally slapped herself. Calleigh unconsciously toyed with her ring and Horatio noticed it.

"God I'm so sorry. Once again, I crossed the line. I'm really sorry. I think I should just keep quiet and not ask too many questions."

"We'll let time heal you alright. You can't push yourself. I know you want to know about yourself so badly but you don't have to push too hard. It will come back to you."

"Alright. Can you just stay with me for a while? If you don't mind? I just don't want to be alone." Calleigh smiled and nodded. She was glad that despite him not remembering anything, he still needed her there by his side just to accompany him. Just being by his side makes her happy. She was happy that he felt comfortable with her presence and right then she knew that no matter what happened, this man was still the man she married. He was still the same man who needed her by his side even if it was just to stay by his side and this just motivated her to win him back. She knew she would win him back. He was already checking her out. She was one-step closer. She smiled to herself while she watched his breathings steadied and he drifted to sleep. She missed watching him fall asleep as she held him in her arms. She missed that feeling of having him beside her. She missed playing with his hair when he was asleep. She hoped that this would end soon and that he would return to her. She stood and leaned towards him, kissing him on his forehead.

"Sleep well handsome. I love you." Calleigh whispered softly.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N : Quick chapter. I hope you like it. I know the previous chapter left you hanging..thinking of things that happened. im trying to update as much as i could but exams are coming..so pardon me if im really slow...**

**To my loyal readers and reviewers, thank you for your support and thanks for staying through the story.**

**I hope this was worth the wait**

**Enjoyyyy ;)**

**Previously...**

"Sleep well handsome. I love you." Calleigh whispered softly.

* * *

A week had passed and Horatio was recovering very fast. His physical wounds were healing but his memory remained. He still couldn't remember. For the past week, Calleigh had stayed with him in the hospital to take care of him and to help him with his memory. It was a slow process yet Calleigh remained optimistic. She was patient with him. She talked to him about his past, but most particularly, about what he did as a Lieutenant of the crime lab. She had told him that he grew in New York and that he had a brother who died during his undercover operation. Horatio did not take that very well and Calleigh had to stop feeding him with information. That morning, Calleigh returned to the hospital to be with him but found him asleep soundly. She decided to take a nap since Horatio was asleep anyway. She sat on the chair by his bed, leaned forward and laid her head on the bed the drifted to sleep.

A few hours later, Horatio woke up feeling the presence of someone beside him. Then he saw a glimpse of blond at the corner of his eyes and he immediately knew that it was the woman who visited him earlier. It was Calleigh Duquesne and he remembered her very well. She was very friendly and he felt something with her. He felt comfortable. He smiled at the thought that she had actually stayed with him while he slept. She had fallen asleep while waiting on him. Slowly, he reached out his hand and stroked her hair gently. It was smooth and soft. Horatio liked the softness of her hair and continued stroking it gently, not wanting to wake her up. He felt guilty that he adored this woman beside him. She was someone's wife and he was touching her like this. It was wrong yet it felt so right to him.

Calleigh on the other hand, felt his hand stroking her gently. She didn't want to wake up only to have Horatio stop what he was doing. She missed him stroking her hair and playing with her hair. Horatio used to always play with her blond hair and twirl it around his fingers as he held her in his arms. He let him be and she just stayed in her position, lying her head on the bed beside Horatio. Suddenly she felt him stop and that moment, she missed his touch already. She wanted more. When she realized that he wasn't going to continue, she slowly stirred and pretended that she just woke up from her sleep.

"Hey." Horatio greeted her as she turned to face him. He gave his boyish grin. _'Your boyish grin never disappears does it Handsome…'_ Calleigh thought.

"Hey there. How are you feeling? Better?"

"Much better. Especially with you around." Calleigh blushed. Deep inside, her heart fluttered and swelled with love. Although Horatio didn't remember anything, he still remembered that he needed her and that with her around, it made his life felt better. She smiled. "Uhm I don't mean that way. But it's just…" Calleigh reached out to his hand and gently stroked the back of his hand.

"It's okay Horatio. You'll never be alone. Just remember that okay." Horatio nodded. A heart shaped sapphire pendant on her neck suddenly caught his attention. It was beautiful. It fitted her perfectly and he really liked it so much.

"I love your pendant. It looks perfect on you." Calleigh smiled so widely, happy that he loved it. It was him who bought it for her. "Whoever chose it for you must have been very particular and knows that it would fit you. I bet anything you wear would look beautiful" Calleigh continued smiling. _'If only you knew you were the one who bought this pendant Horatio…you're always very particular about things and that's what I love about you.'_

"Why Horatio. Thank you." Horatio smiled. Calleigh realized that he was actually harmlessly flirting with her. She knew him too well. She decided to play along. "Well Horatio, anything would look good on you too. I'm pretty sure even if you had nothing on you, you would still look good." Horatio looked at her, eyes widened. He couldn't believe what she had just said to him.

Horatio sat in silence, blushing to her comments about him. They both sat in the room in silence until a nurse came in to check on Horatio and give him dinner. Calleigh allowed the nurse to help him place the food on his table and accommodate his needs while she stood beside him, waiting for the nurse to step out. She wanted to feed him. She was used to nursing Horatio when he was sick and despite Horatio not being there when she needed him during the miscarriage, she still loved him and would still care for him. Although she wanted to badly care for him and feed him like she always did, she was afraid that Horatio would be awkward about it. She let him be. He was seated on the bed, trying to adjust himself to a comfortable position. Calleigh saw as he was trying to move on the bed and saw him grimaced when he put too much pressure on his abdomen. He even struggled trying to move his arms because it affected part of his body movement. She couldn't take it any longer. She couldn't watch her husband in pain. It hurt her to see her husband in such misery and pain. She decided to step up and take care of him. She took the spoon from his hand and sat on the bed beside him. Horatio looked puzzled.

"It's okay. Let me help you." She smiled and scooped a spoonful of rice onto the spoon and fed it gently to him. Horatio saw the emerald ring on her right finger. It was mesmerizing. It was very familiar to him. He felt as if he has seen it somewhere but didn't know where. He tried to recall it but he couldn't. Calleigh noticed the frown on his face.

"What's wrong? The food's not nice?" Horatio shook his head.

"It's just…uhm..I've seen that ring before." Calleigh turned her hand and stared at her ring. She smiled at the memory. That was the ring that he bought for her when he proposed to her. It was the most beautiful night ever in her life and she would never forget it. "Nevermind. Forget it." Horatio shrugged it off and reached for the glass of water but Calleigh didn't want him to hold it on his own. Instead, she too reached for the glass and their skin touched. Horatio felt as if electric just shot through his body. He jerked and pulled his hand away but wanted to feel her skin against his once again. Now he missed her touch and he didn't know why. This woman had so much effects on him.

"Sorry." He mumbled and just then, he saw something on his left finger. It was empty but there was a tan-line. Curiosity in him peaked. He wanted to ask her but he was afraid. As Calleigh brought the glass close to him, he saw it, on her ring that looked like a wedding band. _'H & C eternally forever'. _He almost spat the food in his mouth.

_'H & C…Who is the H? Is it me? H…Horatio…Is she my wife? Why doesn't she want to tell me? What is it that she's hiding from me?' _Horatio thought and frowned.

"What's the matter Horatio? Is the food that bad?" Calleigh teased but got a frown instead.

"Where's my ring?" Calleigh sat there dumbfounded. "I have a tan-line on my finger. I have a ring. Calleigh what are you not telling me?" Horatio stopped her from feeding him anymore. "Calleigh, do I have a family? A wife? Why can't I remember anything. I should at least remember that right. Whoever she was, she's my wife. How can I even forget her." Horatio started getting agitated. "Calleigh, I need information! I need to know what was going on! Where is my wife! Who is my wife! Who is she?" Horatio was beginning to shout. He was shutting his eyes, trying to remember something from his past.

"Horatio, calm down. You're hurting yourself." Calleigh pushed the table away and tried to hold him down but Horatio was too strong for her. Horatio kept struggling and tossing around. In the end, Calleigh had to grip both his wrists and held it above his head to stop him from moving. Nonetheless, that did not stop him. He was still struggling and trying to get up. Just as he was struggling, Calleigh had to press herself down on him and accidentally brushed her lips on his as he was forcing himself to get up. Instead of pulling away, there was an instant reaction between them. Horatio did not pull away. Neither did Calleigh. Calleigh had missed his touch and his kisses too much. Horatio on the other hand, felt an instant connection with her. It felt so right kissing her. He had auto-response towards the kiss and responded to it. He felt Calleigh loosen her grip on his wrist and as if on autopilot, he raked his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer to him. He felt her surrendering to his kisses and leant further onto him. He tried to bring their kiss to another level. He bit her lower lip gently then probed her lips open. To his surprise, she willingly allowed him access. All his pain were long forgotten the moment their lips met. Horatio deepened the kiss. He sensed her hand by the side of his head, bracing herself from falling on top of him. Her free hand tangled in his hair and she was tugging it gently. She moaned softly and he replied with another moan. Things were getting heated until realization hit Calleigh that they were in the hospital. She broke off the kiss and immediately got off the bed. Horatio stared at her blankly.

"I'm sorry Horatio. I really am." Calleigh apologized as she stared into his blue eyes. She knew that look. His eyes were full of passion and desire just like when they were together, making love to each other. That look hadn't disappeared. It was still the same.

"No Calleigh. I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have. I'm sorry if I broke your trust." Horatio stared at her wedding ring. He felt guilty. Guilty of breaking her trust. Calleigh caught him staring at her hand and she realized that it was her wedding ring. It was time she told him the truth.

"Are you really sorry Horatio?" Horatio stared at her, not trusting himself to open his mouth. He had enjoyed the kiss very much. Ever since the first time he saw her, he felt that instant connection with her and now that he kissed her, it strengthened that feeling in him. He felt something for her but he was afraid. She was someone's wife. "Horatio…" She reached out to him but he pulled himself away. Calleigh was hurt but understood that he might be afraid. She pulled back her hand and decided that she would tell him.

"I'm just sorry Calleigh. You're someone's wife." Calleigh smiled. Horatio was still the same gentleman despite his violent breakout when he couldn't remember things. Calleigh took out a small pouch in her pocket. She had been bringing the pouch the whole week. It was his wedding ring. Eric had passed it back to her after processing it and now it was time they gave it back to him. She didn't want to give it to him earlier for fear that he would breakdown and couldn't accept it but now, he needed to know. She took out the content and held it up for him to see. There it was. He saw it. The engraving. _'H & C eternally forever'._

"Is…Is that mine?" Horatio stammered. He pieced the puzzle correctly after he saw the engravings. He figured it out. Those engravings matched. "You're…uhm…you're my wife." He couldn't speak anymore. The woman before him was his wife. The connection, the attraction and the feeling he had inside him finally were explained. She was his wife. "Why can't I remember you? Why can't I remember that you're my wife? I should remember you. I loved you and I married you. God why can't I remember the wedding or anything else? The babies. You said you had twins. Are they mine? Why can't I remember? Why can't I Calleigh." Horatio was agitated and Calleigh had to stop him. He was stressing himself out.

"Horatio…I need you to listen to me. You may not remember all the events that happened, but your love for me is still there." She reached out for his hand and held it in hers tightly and firmly. "Remember the first time we met after you woke up?" Horatio nodded. "You asked me to stay because you didn't want to be alone." She paused. "You always ask me to stay. You never liked being away from me. You always needed me by your side. I just want you to remember that even if you can't remember what happened, your love still remains and I still love you. I know this is hard for you to accept, but trust me, you're a strong man and you will get through this okay." She stood and kissed his forehead. "Just remember, I will always be here for you, like I promised you during our wedding day." Horatio looked at her and realized that she was serious.

"And what did I promise you?" Calleigh smiled as she recalled the day they got married.

"Well, I memorized the whole vow actually." She blushed.

"Calleigh Duquesne, Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again.  
I look forward with great joy to spending the rest of my life with you.  
And with all that I am and all that I have, I offer to you in love and in joy,  
that from this day forward I will love and comfort you, hold you close,  
prize you above all others,  
because you are the anchor to my ship, the light to my darkness and the love of my life.  
And I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my personal world,  
into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.  
I love you."

"And Horatio, I promised to be with you no matter what. And this is what I promised you."

"Horatio Caine, I fell in love with you for the qualities, abilities, and outlook on life that you have,  
and won't try to reshape you in a different image.  
I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you,  
and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.  
I promise to love you in good times and in bad,  
when life seems easy and when it seems hard,  
when our love is simple, and when it is an effort.  
I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard  
I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give.  
I love you."

"Calleigh, thank you. I really don't know how to thank you but I'm grateful you're here with me. I don't know how I was like before the accident, but I'll try my best to love you. I already felt a connection when I met you for the first time. I hope you'll be patient with me. I really want to start all over again Calleigh. I want to love you like how I did before the accident." Horatio pleaded sincerely and that made Calleigh tear up. She knew he was trying his best and she was going to assure him that she would always be there for him.

"Horatio, trust me, I'll be here as long as you're coming back to me." She took him into her arms and held him there just to assure him that she would be there.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N : Sorry for disappearing for quite long. I know I've kept you waiting for so long. Exams are finally over! LIBERATION YAY! So now I can start again on my fanfics. Hooray for everyone!**

**For those who's asking if I know where the story is heading, I think I know where I'm going with it. I know you guys must be questioning if Horatio is let off the hook..Please be patient. We'll settle that later okay? Let's give this family a break. Pity those children; Horatius and Alayna. It's time they have a proper family time. Let them have some time together. Family bonding yeah? hehe. **

**And lastly, I'd like to thank those who keep reading and giving me feedbacks on the story. Especially Guest who now goes by the name 'The Critic', you've helped improve my writing. And FYI, I got a DISTINCTION for my Creative Writing unit. I will post the story on Wattpad under the same username NashMarquez soon when I've got the time.**

**Cheerios! ;)**

* * *

**Previously...**

"Calleigh, thank you. I really don't know how to thank you but I'm grateful you're here with me. I don't know how I was like before the accident, but I'll try my best to love you. I already felt a connection when I met you for the first time. I hope you'll be patient with me. I really want to start all over again Calleigh. I want to love you like how I did before the accident." Horatio pleaded sincerely and that made Calleigh tear up. She knew he was trying his best and she was going to assure him that she would always be there for him.

"Horatio, trust me, I'll be here as long as you're coming back to me." She took him into her arms and held him there just to assure him that she would be there.

* * *

Two weeks passed by and Horatio was healing slowly. His physical wounds were near full recovery. His memory however, has not come back to him fully. Calleigh was still feeding him with information that he couldn't remember. She stood by him day and night, never trusting him to be alone because she knew that if she were to leave him alone, he would force himself to try to remember things that he could not. Once was enough for her. She left Horatio once just to go find his doctor to talk about his condition. It was just that once and she promised him and herself that she would never leave him alone anymore. Watching Horatio writhe and struggle trying to remember was a dread to her. It pained her to watch him in pain then having to call the nurses to sedate him so that he could calm down.

Horatio had been a very cooperative patient so far and Calleigh was glad for that since it would help speed up his recovery process. The doctor suggested therapy for him, which he willingly agreed to, and slowly, he was making progress. He did his best during therapy and managed to recover some of his past. However, the past he remembered was not the happy past Calleigh expected him to remember. The only thing he remembered was his nightmare in New York and nothing in Miami. He still couldn't remember what happened to him. He was still struggling to recall events that happened in Miami; including his wedding and the birth of his children. He couldn't even remember the incident a year ago where he tried to end his own life. Neither did he remember the incident where Calleigh got kidnapped. Calleigh didn't want to push him too much since the psychologist said it might take time for him to remember everything. It could be that his brain was trying to block out and the painful memory to protect him. Calleigh understood.

Calleigh sat on the chair next to his bed, watching his chest rise and fall with his steady breathings. She has always enjoyed watching him sleep. He looked like a small boy. He looked calm like there was nothing that could ever bother or harm him. The wrinkles on his forehead gone. He looked very young and very handsome. Calleigh smiled to herself. She just wished for time to turn itself back to before the accident; to the moment where they were still living happily as a family. As she watched Horatio sleep, she had been subconsciously tracing circles on the back of his hand.

"Hey Calleigh. You're still here."

"Hi handsome. You trying to get rid of me already now?" Calleigh teased as she leaned over to give him a kiss on his cheek.

"No. Don't get me wrong. I wasn't trying to-" Calleigh shushed him before he could complete what he had to say.

"I know what you mean Horatio. I was just teasing you. Anyway, the doctor said you can be discharged this afternoon. Are you ready?"

"I'll get to meet the children then?" Calleigh nodded. She knew that Horatio had been wanting to meet his children but she didn't want to bring them to the hospital yet. She wanted Horatio to stabilize emotionally and be emotionally prepared. She didn't want him to stress himself when he meets them. Just as Calleigh was packing his belongings, there was a knock on the door.

"Hey Cal. Hey H." Eric walked towards Horatio and Calleigh as he greeted them. Both Horatio and Calleigh greeted back in unison. Eric had a worried look on his face and this had Calleigh worried as well. Calleigh knew there was something bothering Eric because he was not supposed to be at the hospital just yet. It was way too early for Horatio to be discharged. She needed to know what was going on. She looked at Eric intently in an attempt to get his attention. She wanted to signal Eric but he seemed oblivious and continued talking to Horatio. She just wished that telepathy were existent at that moment. She needed Eric to look at her so that she could signal to him that she needed to talk to him. Calleigh waited for a moment and gave the two men time to talk and bond with each other while she continued packing Horatio's clothes.

"So Cal, you gonna settle the admin stuff? I can accompany you if that's okay with H." Calleigh sighed in relief. She was glad Eric spoke up.

"Why thank you Eric. I'll be out in a minute. Just need to fold this last one and we can go." Eric nodded and looked back at Horatio as they continued talking for a while more. She nodded and folded the last of Horatio's shirt then headed out to the receptionist desk with Eric, leaving Horatio behind. Hands in his pocket, Eric led Calleigh to a quiet corner of the hospital instead of heading straight to the receptionist desk. He looked at Calleigh intently then stared down at his shoes. He still had the worried look on his face. He went quiet, worrying Calleigh further.

"What's up Eric? Talk to me." Eric fidgeted. "Eric."

"IAB is looking for Horatio." Calleigh's eyes widened.

"Wait. What? But it's been almost a month. Why are they looking for him now?"

"Cal…they've been looking for him since the accident happened. Except Horatio wasn't in the right state yet. So now they're pressing for information. They want to know what happened."

"But Eric, he can't remember anything. You know that." Calleigh was worried about what might happen to Horatio. He could be relieved off duty or IAB could mess with him and charge him with whatever they want to charge him with; especially with Rick Stetler who had been very determined to bring the lab down.

"Cal I know that. But right now, it's really out of our hands if IAB wants to talk to him."

"They're not going to talk to him! They're going to question him! They're going to interrogate him like a criminal Eric! I can't let them do that to him!" Calleigh started to raise her voice.

"Calleigh you need to calm down. They're only doing their job." Realizing that she had lost her temper, Eric tried to calm her down. They were afterall in the hospital.

"Calm down? Eric! Listen to yourself! Which side are you on right now?" Eric felt guilty. He knew that IAB have been messing around with their lab. He knew that Rick Stetler would do anything he could just to destroy the team. Of course, he would be on Horatio's side but it was out of his control when IAB starts to interfere. The most he could do was try to prove that Horatio was innocent and he did what he did to protect his family. Horatio was caught in between a bad circumstance.

"Cal…I didn't mean it that way. But you know how they are when it comes to such situations. Of course I'm not picking their side. It's just that…"

"Stuff it Eric." Calleigh interjected his sentence then stormed away from him. Eric couldn't say anything else to Calleigh knowing that she was very angry at him. He knew he was at fault. Right now, the only fear that Eric has is Rick trying to pin the fact that Horatio prioritized his personal life and jeopardizing the life of others. Eric feared that Horatio's integrity would be held in question.

It had been a few minutes that Calleigh left Eric standing alone in the corner of the hospital. He decided to approach her at the receptionist desk where she was filling out the discharge forms for Horatio then left for Horatio's room without even saying a single word to him. He felt so bad but decided to let it go. Eric followed her into Horatio's room and helped her with carrying the bag. Calleigh on the other hand, helped Horatio up to make his way to the wheelchair provided. Horatio protested on being pushed in a wheelchair. He tried to convince Calleigh that he could walk on his own and that he doesn't need a wheelchair but Calleigh gave him a death glare that could make him piss in his pants. He was confused. He hadn't done anything to make her angry. He tried raking his brain but still couldn't see the reason as to why she was mad at him. He relented and took a seat on the wheelchair, allowing Calleigh to push him. He didn't want to anger her further.

"I'm sorry if I made you angry." Horatio whispered apologetically with his eyes full of guilt. Instantly Calleigh then realized that she had vented her anger on her husband and she immediately regretted it. She knelt down in front of him and took his hand in her left while her right gently caressed his cheek. The look on her face softened as she saw Horatio's guilt in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry handsome. I didn't mean to vent my anger on you. You didn't make me angry. It was something else that made me angry alright." Calleigh said in a soft and gentle manner as she gently rubbed the back of his hands, trying to relieve him of his guilt. Horatio looked at her, not convinced by what she said.

"Horatio, trust me?" Her eyes looked straight into his as her hand continued caressing his cheek. "You didn't make me angry. It's just about work." Horatio nodded silently and Calleigh gave him a kiss on his cheek before standing up to push him out to head to the car.

Eric had already gone out to fetch the car. The nurses said their goodbyes to them as Calleigh wheeled Horatio to the entrance of the hospital where Eric was already waiting for them in the car. Horatio had resisted any help to get into the car and this time, Calleigh allowed him to; not wanting him to feel incompetent. The ride was a silent one since Calleigh was still angry at Eric and Horatio, sensing the tension in the car, just kept quiet. Horatio still had no idea what was going on but decided not to ask since Calleigh has already told him that it was just about work. He didn't want to interfere with their job because he has no idea about anything. He recalled that Calleigh mentioned that he worked as a police officer, as a lieutenant and supervisor of the lab. However, he couldn't remember a single thing about it and right now, he doesn't even know what he was going to do with his life. He thought about staying home for the time being while he figures out what to do with his life. He could take care of the children but he doubted himself if he could handle them. He shrugged that thought off.

As he was entertaining his thoughts, Calleigh's voice interrupted him announcing that they have already reached home. Horatio was nervous. He was nervous to see his children. It was the first ever since the accident happened. Calleigh had told him about them but that didn't ease his nervousness. He was worried if the children doesn't remember him like he doesn't remember them. He got out of the car and Calleigh immediately went to his side to guide him. Calleigh thanked Eric and told him that she could manage on her own. She was obviously still angry at him. Eric took the hint and left. Calleigh intertwined her fingers in Horatio's and guided him into the house. She could feel his cold hand. As they were about to enter the house, Horatio pulled back and Calleigh immediately turned to him. She could see the fear and the uncertainty in his eyes.

"Handsome, it's going to be alright. Trust me." Calleigh tugged him gently.

"What if they don't recognize me? What if they're scared of me? What should I do if they start crying? I don't know how to feed them. I don't know how to entertain them. What if I cannot handle them?" Calleigh smiled.

"Horatio, you will be fine. I'm sure your fatherly instincts will still be in you. It will come back to you slowly." He looked at her questioningly. "Trust me Horatio. You'll be fine." Horatio gave in and allowed her to pull him in. He stepped in and there they were. He could already hear the children. His heart beat so fast he felt like it would jump out of his ribcage but he kept himself composed. He didn't want to look nervous but he knew Calleigh had sensed the nervousness in him. There was no turning back. This was his home and his family. He couldn't run away from it no matter how nervous he was.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N : Another update yet again. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this story once again and I'm loving it. The story is on its way to reach greater heights. LOL. Just kidding. It's still in the process of resolving issues. And hopefully it would as great as I would want it to be. I'll let you be the judge. **

**Some of you have tried predicting and giving suggestions for the story and I will try my best to accommodate to it but I will see if it is appropriate for the whole storyline that I have already planned and mapped out. Everything else has already been set. I just need to stop procrastinating and lazing around. **

**Cheerios! ;)**

* * *

**Previously...**

"Horatio, you will be fine. I'm sure your fatherly instincts will still be in you. It will come back to you slowly." He looked at her questioningly. "Trust me Horatio. You'll be fine." Horatio gave in and allowed her to pull him in. He stepped in and there they were. He could already hear the children. His heart beat so fast he felt like it would jump out of his ribcage but he kept himself composed. He didn't want to look nervous but he knew Calleigh had sensed the nervousness in him. There was no turning back. This was his home and his family. He couldn't run away from it no matter how nervous he was.

* * *

As he walked in, he could hear the giggles of the children and he started feeling nervous all over again. He stepped further into the living room and he saw his friend Alexx on the floor playing with the two children. He stared at them. The two children had blonde hair just like Calleigh and when he looked at the boy, he could see the resemblance. The girl had a mix of both his wife and himself.

"Welcome home Horatio." Alexx greeted him and it had startled him. "I'm going to leave the four of you alone. My job here is done." She stood up and packed her belongings then left the house leaving the family of four to finally reunite.

"So that's Horatius." Calleigh nodded. "He looks like me." Calleigh smiled.

"Yes he does handsome. He's your mini-me. He even behaves like you. He's exactly like you." Horatio stared at her, confused. "He's a charmer just like you. His smile can make anyone melt. Just like you. And he's shy. Very shy. But he's very determined and curious. Not to forget the stubbornness."

Calleigh smiled again as she recalled the incident where Horatius had been very shy. Horatius was never a fan of strangers. He would hide himself by stuffing his face into his mother if he meets any strangers. He would cry out loud if he was being carried by an unfamiliar person. Horatius was also a very determined boy. As young as he was, his determination to do something was strong. The incident that happened two weeks ago proved it all. Horatius had started crawling and was exploring on his own. Calleigh was playing with him and was training him to crawl faster. She would leave him at the other end of the living room while she waited on the other end with his favorite giraffe soft toy. Horatius would crawl to her and try to get to her even if she distances herself further from him. Even when he was beginning to crawl, to flip his body, he would roll himself time and again then pushed himself up. Even though he failed the first few times, he never gave up.

Horatio took a step closer to his children. Both of them had blue eyes. They were very distinctive. They were bright blue; just like his. He looked over to the girl and studied her carefully. She was too busy playing with her kitty stuffed toy to even bother about anything else.

"She has your independence and she's reserved, just like you. She hates it when we try to interfere with her business." Calleigh chuckled softly. Horatio smiled shyly.

"But she looks more like you."

"I know. I think it's fair don't you think? Horatius has your looks and characteristics. It will only be fair if Alayna has mine." Calleigh smiled cheekily and Horatio returned the smile. "You wanna carry them?" Right then, she saw fear flashed in his eyes. "Horatio, it's okay. They don't bite. Just sit beside them if you don't want to carry them yet." Horatio nodded and slowly approached his children. He sat by them but Alayna seemed to be in her own world. She seemed to be ignoring everything else.

"Does she always ignore people?" Calleigh frowned a little and shook her head.

"She only does that when she's busy playing with her toys. Just don't disturb her. She will start screaming." Horatio just nodded for fear that his daughter would start crying and he wouldn't know what to do. He sat by Horatius and watched him play with his dangling toys. Horatio studied his son carefully. Everything about his son resembled him. Horatius has his eyes, his nose, his lips. His son even has his looks. It was as if he was staring at his own reflection. The only difference was his hair. His son has blonde hair, with a tinge of redness. Horatius was too busy reaching out for his dangling toy above him that he didn't realize his father was there. He was more fascinated with his toys. His hands tried to reach for the toys while his legs were trying to kick it. He would giggle to himself when his feet touch the toy and it moves.

Horatio then looked over at his daughter. She looked more like his wife. Even though she has his eyes, her lips and her nose were much similar to Calleigh. Her face structure was more like Calleigh. Just like Horatius, she seemed quiet. She was just playing with her stuffed toy, nibbling on it gently. As he was studying his daughter in front of him, he saw the pearly whites on her gums. He suddenly saw a flash of his daughter biting onto his finger but he could not remember how, when or where. It was only a memory of him being bitten.

Horatio was too consumed by his children and his past memories of them that he did not realize Horatius had noticed his presence and had turned his attention on his father instead of his toys. All of a sudden, Horatius called out to Horatio and that had startled him.

"He can speak." Horatio said in amazement. Calleigh smiled and told him that Horatius' first word was 'Da-da'. Horatio looked so proud.

"He can say a few words now. He can call out to Frank. And he can call me now." Calleigh smiled again.

Horatius called out to his father again and this time, he reached out, wanting to be carried by his father. Horatio looked at his son, not knowing what to do. Horatio knew that his son wanted him to carry him but Horatio was just terrified. He felt awkward. He felt nervous all over agaim. He just stared at the poor boy who was reaching out to him.

"Dada." Horatius had an excited look on his face upon seeing his father. He had recognized his father despite being separated for a while. Horatio kept staring until Horatius started whimpering and ended up crying out loud. Now Horatio was much more anxious, nervous, petrified. He didn't know what to do. Was he supposed to give his son the toy? The pacifier? Or just simply pick him up? Calleigh was just watching him by his side.

"Horatio…" There was no response. It seemed like Horatio froze up the moment Horatius started crying. "Handsome…" Calleigh called out once again, this time tapping him on his shoulder and he shook. "Just carry him. It's going to be fine. He'll stop crying once you carry him. Just try." Horatio was hesitant and Calleigh could see it in his eyes.

"What if he doesn't?" Calleigh looked at him, silently begging him to at least give it a try. Calleigh could hear her son calling out to his dad in between his cries and it hurts to see her son crying out for his dad. Horatio looked at Calleigh once again and back to Horatius. Calleigh couldn't take it any longer. Horatius was crying so hard that his face had turned red. Very red. His face was already wet from the tears. He was sobbing so hard that Calleigh knew he was going to throw up any time soon. She quickly picked her son up and held him close to her chest. She cradled Horatius gently, trying to soothe him as she brought him away from the living room and went out to the patio. Out at the patio, Calleigh held him tight to her chest to muffle his cries. She gently rubbed his back up and down to calm him down. She could feel her shirt wet from his tears. Horatius was still crying but not as hard as before. He was calming down. She pulled him away from her chest and her heart broke when she saw the tears in his eyes. His face was still red from the intense crying. Calleigh wiped his wet face and pushed his blonde hair off his face.

"I'm so sorry baby." Calleigh whispered to her son as her hand was still pushing his hair off his face and wiped off the excess tears on his face. "I should have known daddy is still not prepared." Horatius was much quieter than before but was still sobbing softly. Calleigh pulled Horatius back into her chest and allowed him to nuzzle on the crook of her neck. She had regretted leaving Horatius crying for his father. She should have known that Horatio was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he had a family and children. It would take him time to be acquainted to the situation. She knew that Horatio wouldn't be the same but she was willing to wait and try. For the children and for her own sake. She loved him too much to give up on him and she knew her children need their father as much as she needs her husband. She swayed her body left and right gently, rocking her son in her arms until she felt him relax slowly and fall asleep eventually. Calleigh then went up to the nursery to gently lay Horatius in his crib then headed back down where she saw Horatio looking at the photo frames on the shelves. Alayna was still playing on her own.

"Horatio…" He immediately turned upon hearing Calleigh's voice.

"Calleigh." Horatio didn't want to look at his wife. Instead, he kept looking down while twirling his wedding ring around his finger. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. I should have known that you're not prepared yet." Just as Calleigh wanted to reach out to Horatio, she heard a cry from the living room. She quickly retracted her hand and rushed to her daughter's side. Horatio followed behind.

"Let me." Horatio volunteered right before Calleigh picked Alayna up. Calleigh stepped aside and let him pick Alayna up. Instead of calming down, Alayna cried harder and louder and reached out for her mother. Horatio panicked and handed her over to his wife. He didn't know what else to do. He didn't know how to calm a baby down. He felt so ashamed of himself. He had forgotten how to be a father. He had forgotten how to perform such basic task. Calleigh checked the time and she knew why Alayna had started to cry. It was her feeding time. Calleigh went straight to the kitchen and placed Alayna on the high-chair then handed her a piece of biscuit while she prepared porridge. Horatio on the other hand, sat by the counter watching Calleigh prepare food for the twins. Right on time, Horatius started crying and Calleigh rushed to the nursery. It was his feeding time as well.

When Horatio saw Calleigh holding Horatius in her arms, he stood up; wanting to take Horatius but Horatius turned away and hid his face on the crook of his mother's neck. Calleigh had to pull him away from herself and attempted to hand him over to Horatio. Just as she wanted to hand him over to Horatio, she saw the distress on his face. He almost wanted to cry. Calleigh could see the fear in his eyes. Horatius was afraid of his own father. Nevertheless, Calleigh handed Horatius to her husband with so much reluctance. Horatius held on to her and resisted to be handed over to his father. Despite his reluctance and persistence to hand on to his mother, Calleigh managed to pull him away from her and hand him over to Horatio. Horatio took over gently and cautiously. He wrapped his arms around his son so securely but after less than a minute, Horatius had the 'I-am-going-to-cry-soon' look on his face. Calleigh tried leaving him with Horatio for a moment until he really started crying. Horatius was not teasing about crying. He began crying softly and then his crying became louder and he was screaming. Calleigh quickly took him away from Horatio, allowing him snuggle into her and calm himself down in the embrace of his own mother. That look of fear did not go unnoticed. Horatio saw the fear in his son's eyes and he pulled away immediately. He had seen that look before. Somewhere.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N : Another update yet again. I'm just going to tell you more about how this story is going about. Nothing is ever completed in my story. If you find the plot hanging somewhere, be assured that it's coming up sooner or later. It's just a matter of time. Please hang on with me...Pleeeaaaasssseeee. I beg you. **

**We all know that this story has some loopholes but you're in for a treat people. Trust me. I hope it would be good. You just have got to be patient with me. I'm sorting it out and planning it accordingly. This few chapters will be more of Family Bonding and resolving their issues together be it individually or as a couple or family. We will be digging further into their personal life ;) unlike the show which has ended :'(**

**Cheerios! ;)**

* * *

**Previously...**

He wrapped his arms around his son so securely but after less than a minute, Horatius had the 'I-am-going-to-cry-soon' look on his face. Calleigh tried leaving him with Horatio for a moment until he really started crying. Horatius was not teasing about crying. He began crying softly and then his crying became louder and he was screaming. Calleigh quickly took him away from Horatio, allowing him snuggle into her and calm himself down in the embrace of his own mother. That look of fear did not go unnoticed. Horatio saw the fear in his son's eyes and he pulled away immediately. He had seen that look before. Somewhere.

* * *

His heart suddenly started beating so hard like he was afraid of something. He suddenly felt cold and vulnerable but he didn't know why. Then it hit him. He had been there before. He had been afraid. Just like his son. He had been running, hiding, trying to escape the monster that was chasing him. He was once in that position, hiding behind his own mother; hiding from the man who tried to hurt him. He remembered having to hide in the closet, under the bed or anywhere else where the monster couldn't find him.

He was 5 at that time. He was small enough to fit in any small hiding places but unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, the monster had always found him, trembling in a fetal position. He remembered being dragged out from under the bed violently. He remembered how that monster pulled him by his legs as if he was dragging a sack of potatoes. He remembered being treated like a punching bag. He had had a feel of all kinds of objects bruising his delicate skin; be it a belt, a cane, a hanger and even the huge hands of the monster. There was nothing he could do except crying. He had cried out for help; hoping that his mother would save him from the monster but she couldn't.

Calleigh saw the look on Horatio's face. She knew that look. He was remembering something and from his facial expression, she knew that it was not a pleasant memory. She had to control the situation. She quickly placed Horatius on the high-chair and attended to Horatio.

Horatio on the other hand, was seated on the floor in a fetal position, leaning on the wall and trying to hide himself. The memory that was coming back to him was vivid. He could still feel the grip of the monster's hands on his legs while he pulled him out from under the bed. He could feel the stinging pain the moment the belt made contact with his skin, across his back. He could feel the burning sensation as the belt sliced through his delicate skin. Everything was very clear to him. He could hear the sound of his mother banging the door while begging the monster not to hurt her son but it failed. The door was locked. The monster kept hitting. Horatio had to surrender. He was too young and too small to fight off the monster.

He could even taste the coppery taste of blood inside his mouth. The monster had hit him on the face and it split his lips open. He felt weak. He felt tired. He just laid down on the floor. His small body had gone limp from the beatings he received. He just wanted to close his eyes and rest before the monster came back. He just wished it would end.

Everyday, it was the same routine. After he had gone limp, the monster would leave him then his mother would come to him to take care of him; to clean his wounds, to treat his wounds, and before the wounds could even heal, the ritual started again. New wounds would appear before the old ones could heal. They would tear open his old wounds, not allowing it any chance of healing. Every single day Horatio begged and begged not to be punished but his pleas were being ignored. He always wondered what his sins were. What have he done to deserve such punishments?

Every night before going to bed, he would ask his mother why the monster kept going after him; why the monster hated him so much; what have he done to cause so much hatred in a man whom he was supposed to look up upon as his father. There was no answer. The only answer he got was tears falling down his mother's cheeks while she held him in her arms, soothing him to sleep.

Seeing that Horatio was trembling violently, Calleigh approached him slowly. She didn't want to cause him anymore distress. She knelt down beside him quietly and watched him shaking. His eyes were closed and he tucked his knees to his chest. It was as if he was trying to protect himself from something. He was rocking back and forth with his head tucked in between his knees. She reached out to him gently. Her hand slowly made its way to his shoulder and he flinched upon the contact. His body tensed up and he pushed himself further towards the wall. He didn't want to be touched.

"Daddy please don't hurt me. It hurts so much. Please daddy…please…" Calleigh heard Horatio mutter under his breath, in between his sobs. Calleigh caught on fast. She realized now that he was recalling his bitter childhood. The look of fear on Horatius' face had triggered Horatio's childhood memory. She had known about his childhood; about his abusive father and how he had been abused throughout his whole childhood. He had told her about his father and Calleigh knew how much he hated his father for bringing so much pain to his life.

The scars all over his body had explained it all. The kind of abuse he went through was unbearable for a child or maybe even for an adult. His scars were massive and from the looks of it, Calleigh knew that the wounds were deep. He had scars on his back and front. The physical wounds may have healed but Calleigh knew that his emotional wounds could never heal. There were always some parts of him that would never let it go. No one in the right mind would ever forget such traumatic events in their lives. They may suppress it but to forget about completely, it was not possible.

Every time, as they lay in each others' arms, Calleigh never failed to snuggle into him and gently trace over his scars. She had accepted him for who he was; be it wounded or scarred. She loved him for who he was and who he is. There were battle scars as well but Calleigh knew how to differentiate them. She tried to hold him close to her but he kept pushing her away and running away from her.

"Please don't hurt me. Please." Calleigh could see the tears on his cheeks. Horatio was crying. The one man whom she thought was strong had broken down. Calleigh was on the verge of crying. She had never seen him cry. Even if he did cry, it was not in front of her. Calleigh tried to suppress her tears and stop it from rolling down her cheeks. She had to stay strong for him. She knew very well that she was his pillar of strength and his anchor. She had to be the strong one this time. It was always Horatio who had been strong. Now was the time for her to step up.

Calleigh gently approached him, not allowing to feel intimidated by her presence. Once she was one arm's length apart from Horatio, she reached out to him and just held him gently and lightly on his arm. This time, he did not pull away from her because there was nowhere else to run away to. When she realized he was not about to run away, she brought herself nearer to him but not close enough to invade his personal space.

"Horatio…I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you." Calleigh said in a soft tone, almost whispering but just enough for Horatio to hear it. She brought her hand up to touch his cheek gently and waited for a reaction from him. He didn't flinch nor recoil. "It's okay Horatio. I'm here and no one is going to hurt you." She continued as her hand gently caressed his cheek. This time, she felt him lean into her touch and she knew that he had trusted her. Right then, she pulled him into her and held him tight as he gripped onto her for security and assurance.

Horatio was still sobbing silently but he was calming down little by little and Calleigh continued holding him tight. She pushed away his damp hair on his forehead and felt the coldness of his skin. After he calmed down, Calleigh straightened him up and brought him straight to bed. He needed the rest and sleep. Calleigh rushed out of the room and closed it. She needed to let her emotions go. She could not do it in front of Horatio hence she had to step out of the room and slowly, she leaned and slid down the door. She was softly sobbing. Thinking back to the moment she saw Horatio crying, she sobbed. Although she knew that she would never understand the pain he was going through, just seeing him go through it had hurt a lot. Tears made its way through and slid down her cheeks. She was crouching by the door with her knees tucked close to her chest. It was her turn to cry.

She had just lost her baby a month ago and she had almost her husband, the man she loved, a few weeks ago. That was extremely too much for one person to handle alone. Although she knew that she had friends who were willing to stand by her to give support, she could not deny the fact that the only person she needed was Horatio, the man who had given her the strength all these years. He was her pillar of strength. In fact, they were each other's pillar of strength. Now, the fact that Horatio had lost his memory had crushed her further. She does not know what to do- with two children to take care of and now Horatio. She was too overwhelmed.

Suddenly, as she was busy entertaining her thoughts, she heard a cry and she was brought back to reality. In just a few seconds, she stood up and straightened herself up. She needed to do this. She had to because right now, she was the only person they can hold on to. Her children needed her as their mother and Horatio needed her as his wife, as his pillar of strength.

_'Please Calleigh. You have no time to brood over this nonsense. Step up! They need you!'_ Calleigh scolded herself and straight away made her way to the kitchen where she left both her children. _'You can do this Calleigh! You're stronger than this! Just look at those babies. They need you. They're your source of strength now. Besides Horatio.' _Calleigh tried to persuade herself that she needed to do this and that she was stronger than she thought. Her children needed her. They were still so young to understand what was going on in their family.

She looked at both her children and she was now more convinced that they needed her. She shook her head and told herself off. She should not have thought about giving up. She picked Horatius up and went over to the stove to check the porridge. She had forgotten to turn it off and it had dried up. Calleigh cursed vulgarities inside her head. She had to start all over again. While waiting for the new batch of porridge to cook, Calleigh had to give biscuits to Alayna and Horatius. She had to be thankful that her children are not fussy. She placed Horatius back on his high chair and took a chair to sit in front of both of them. They were both nibbling on the biscuit in their hands quietly. They had looked so peaceful and contented. Calleigh smiled. Her children were a gift from god and a miracle for both her and Horatio.

She looked over to Horatius and she saw the tears in his eyes from the cries before this. She chuckled as she thought that it was adorable when he cried. His face would turn red and puffed. Sometimes, Calleigh would leave him crying for a moment just to laugh at his adorableness but would eventually pick him up before he starts throwing up. She reached over and wiped the excess tears in his eyes as she watched him nibble gently on the biscuit. He was rubbing it against his gums as he was growing his first few front teeth. He was easing the itch on his gums instead of eating the biscuit properly. Calleigh smiled and decided to disturb him. Sneakily, her hand went by his side and she took his biscuit away from him. Immediately, he turned to face her and cringed, indicating that he was going to cry. Instantly, his siren started and his face turned red.

What Calleigh did not expect from that was Alayna looking at her brother and handing over her biscuit to him. He went quiet instantly. Calleigh was amazed and proud, both at the same time. Horatius and Alayna have a very close sibling relationship with each other despite at this young age. Both of them seemed to be very attached to each other. Calleigh foresee them being very close in the future and she smiled at that thought. She would love for her children to have a very close relationship just like hers with her brothers. Calleigh handed the biscuit back to Horatius and he took it with so much confusion in his face. He threw the one in his hand and took the one Calleigh gave to him.

Calleigh then went to prepare food for both children and when she turned to both the children, she saw their faces light up the moment they saw her holding the bowl even though they had no idea what it was. Calleigh laughed and approached them. Once she started feeding them, both of them seemed contented and Horatius have long thrown his biscuit away. Both of them waited patiently to be fed turn by turn. Just as she was feeding the both of them, Alayna burped loudly, indicating that she has had enough. It was her time to stop. Horatius on the other hand, he ate a lot more than his sister did. Calleigh continued feeding him until the bowl was empty. Calleigh then brought them back to the living room for them to play. She wanted to tire them out so that they would sleep earlier. She needed an early night. Especially after having a hectic month. She just needed rest. She just needed to be away from reality.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N : Another update yet again. Hope you love this chapter as much as i did. I fangirled when i was writing this chapter for some reason which you will find out when you read it.**

** By the way, thank you to all who reviewed my story. Your reviews have kept me going and going. So yes, your support is much appreciated ;)**

**Cheerios! ;)**

Calleigh then went to prepare food for both children and when she turned to both the children, she saw their faces light up the moment they saw her holding the bowl even though they had no idea what it was. Calleigh laughed and approached them. Once she started feeding them, both of them seemed contented and Horatius have long thrown his biscuit away. Both of them waited patiently to be fed turn by turn. Just as she was feeding the both of them, Alayna burped loudly, indicating that she has had enough. It was her time to stop. Horatius on the other hand, he ate a lot more than his sister did. Calleigh continued feeding him until the bowl was empty. Calleigh then brought them back to the living room for them to play. She wanted to tire them out so that they would sleep earlier. She needed an early night. Especially after having a hectic month. She just needed rest. She just needed to be away from reality.

* * *

Calleigh started entertaining both children with their toys. She played along with them, taking the toy car and teaching Horatius how to move it front and back. The little boy watched her attentively and then after a while, he tried to imitate his mother. Calleigh was really proud of him. He was a little bright boy. Alayna on the other hand was not interested in the toy car. Instead, she handed Calleigh the xylophone stick that she was holding.

"Aww look at you. Wanna play the xylophone…" Calleigh cooed and took the stick from her daughter. She started tapping on the xylophone in front of her and made some random music. Alayna giggled whenever Calleigh tapped on the xylophone, making sounds.

"Calleigh…" Handing back the xylophone stick to Alayna, Calleigh turned around immediately when she heard her name.

"Horatio. You're up. Well that was a quick nap." Calleigh sounded surprised because she thought Horatio might need a little more than just a few hours. She thought he might just sleep through the night.

"I needed the toilet and can't go back to sleep." Calleigh nodded and invited him to sit beside her with the children. Horatio shook his head.

"Come on Horatio. Come sit beside me. It's okay. I'm right here with you." Calleigh tapped on the empty space beside her, inviting him. Being insecure, Horatio stepped forward slowly. He was afraid that the children would start crying.

Once Horatio sat down, he studied both children for any signs of wanting to cry. There wasn't any. Both children were focused on their toys. Horatius was sliding his car up and down while Alayna was tapping on her xylophone. Calleigh handed Horatio one of the toy cars and told him to try playing with Horatius. He did as he was told and tried. Horatio placed his car just beside Horatius and imitated his son. That got his attention. Horatius stopped and looked up to his father. He looked at Calleigh and back to his father. Slowly, Horatio reached out his hand to give Horatius the car. He waited for a reaction from his son. Horatio was expecting his son to cry but he was pleasantly surprised. Horatius eyed him wearily before taking the toy car from his hand. Horatio smiled.

"It's not that bad is it handsome…" Horatio just smiled at Calleigh. He was glad that he made the first step to get closer to his son. Horatio took another car and handed to him again. Horatius took it once again and instead of playing with it, he handed it over to Calleigh, who gladly took it from him. After a few minutes, Horatius stopped playing with his toy car, abandoning it to disturb his sister who was busy tapping the xylophone. He crawled over to Alayna's side and took the xylophone stick from her hand, causing her to start crying. Calleigh gave her another toy to keep her quiet but she was not going to let Horatius off.

"Horatius. You're not supposed to do that to your sister. Come here. Give that to mummy." Calleigh said sternly. Horatius looked at her but did not give the xylophone stick to her. He held on to it. "Horatius. Give that back to your sister." He still ignored her and refused to give it back to his sister. "Horatius Declan Caine. Mummy is only going to repeat one more time. Hand it over to mummy." Calleigh was very firm and she had looks that could scare even the scariest criminal. Horatius looked at her then to his sister and then looked at the xylophone stick in his hand. He looked back up to Calleigh, this time with teary eyes. Calleigh's heart broke but she needed to be firm with him. She wasn't going to raise him up as a spoilt child.

"Calleigh…I think you're being too harsh on him." Horatio spoke up when he saw the glare that she was giving to Horatius. She had a very cold, menacing glare that even he himself was scared. What more a seven month old child. Calleigh ignored him. "Calleigh…"

"Horatio, I'm not going to raise him as a spoilt child. He needs to know his boundaries." Calleigh answered firmly. Horatio had nothing else to say. "Now Horatius. Give that to mummy." She reached out her hand for Horatius to hand over the xylophone stick but he was not budging. He was stubborn. "Horatius Declan Caine. Don't make mummy do what I don't want to do." He continued looking at her with teary eyes. Calleigh then saw a teardrop rolled down his cheek. She shook her head, thinking about the pride and stubbornness that her son has despite his very young age. It was definitely Horatio's trait. Although the tear had shattered her heart, Calleigh couldn't give in to him. She needed him to know that it was wrong to take from someone without permission.

"Horatius Declan Caine. That's enough. You have tested me way too much." Calleigh then flicked at his hand. "Give that to me. Now." He cringed at the pain caused. Calleigh could see more tears at the brink of his eyes and slowly it made its way through and rolled down his chubby cheeks. Even after being flicked at, his pride still persisted and still standing tall and proud.

"Calleigh…"

"Horatio. I need to teach him. If I let it be, he's going to think it's okay to take from someone." Calleigh looked over to her son once again and he finally relented and handed over the xylophone stick to her. Horatius was already crying softly but Calleigh was not going to console him. He looked at his mother but she ignored him. Calleigh saw the look on his face and she badly wanted to take him in her arms and hold him there but he needed to learn. Tears continued falling as he stared at his mother, hoping she would take him in her arms but to his dismay, she did not. He was left there alone.

In the end, Horatio decided to step up and approached his son. Horatius was staring at his hand where Calleigh had flicked earlier. It was red. Horatio slowly and gently took his son's hand and rubbed the reddening area to soothe the pain on it. Horatio then reached up to his son's face to wipe the tears on his cheeks.

"You're a strong boy aren't you Horatius?" Horatio looked straight at his son. "Strong boys don't cry. So if you're a strong boy, you can't cry okay?" The look on Horatio's face softened. His son looked at him and for the first time, Horatio felt at ease. He did not see the fear in the little boy's eyes. The only thing he saw was adoration and admiration. He looked at his son. It was really a reflection of himself.

Right then, Horatius crawled and climbed onto his father's lap, snuggling into his chest. Horatio looked at Calleigh and smiled. He wrapped his arms around his son, giving him the assurance that he would hold and protect him. Gently, he rubbed Horatius' back up and down. When he calmed down, Horatio turned him so that they would be facing each other.

"Now that's a strong boy. Next time listen to mummy alright." Horatio kissed his forehead and held him to his chest, placing Horatius' head on the crook of his neck. Suddenly Alayna crawled slowly towards Horatio and handed him a toy of hers. Horatio was puzzled over her actions until he realized that she was looking at her brother. He understood now that she was giving the toy to her brother instead of himself. Horatio lifted his son off his chest and turned him to face Alayna.

"Horatius, your sister is giving you something." Horatio took the toy from Alayna and handed it to Horatius. "Look. Isn't this what you wanted?" He waved the xylophone stick at Horatius but he ignored it. He didn't want it anymore. Instead, he leaned further onto Horatio.

"Aww sweetheart, your brother doesn't want it anymore. You can keep it." Horatio told her as he handed back the xylophone stick to her. He stood up and took a seat on the couch with Horatius while Alayna continued playing on her toys. Calleigh came back into the living room only to be so glad that Horatio managed to overcome his anxiety. She hid behind the wall to watch Horatio. She was glad that his basic father instinct was still there. After a while more, Calleigh came out of her hiding spot and handed the milk bottle to Horatio. She handed the other bottle to her daughter as she picked her up. The moment Horatio gave the bottle to Horatius, he immediately grabbed hold of it and started sucking on it. As minutes passed by, his eyes were getting droopy and finally fell asleep in his father's arms.

"I think he's tired from crying the whole day." Calleigh spoke up. Horatio agreed with her. He took away the bottle from Horatius gently so that he would not feel it. He didn't want to wake him up. Both Calleigh and Horatio then made their way up to the nursery to tuck both children to sleep. Calleigh was more than glad that both children had gone to sleep. It was now her turn to rest. Before leaving the room, Calleigh went to Horatius to kiss him goodnight and whispered an apology to him.

As she made her way into their bedroom, Calleigh noticed that Horatio was not following her. Instead, he stood by the door.

"Horatio?" He stared at her blankly. "You coming? Or are you going to stand there?" Horatio just stood there staring at her. Calleigh stepped forward towards him and reached out to his cheek. "Handsome, I know all this is new to you and I'm not going to push you. I can prepare the guest room if you want me to. I don't mind." Calleigh smiled sincerely although deep inside she really wanted to have Horatio by her side. She really wanted to snuggle into him while she was sleeping. She just needed someone to hold her. It has been too long since she slept in his arms. Silently, she prayed hard that Horatio would decline her offer and stay in their room.

"Okay. If it's not much trouble." Her heart shattered at that. Horatio could see the drop in her face. "Calleigh, it's not that I don't want to. I just...I...I just am not ready yet." Calleigh nodded understandingly and went ahead to prepare the guest room. She hadn't expected that Horatio would accept her offer on the guest room. After she prepared the room, they went their separate ways; Calleigh into their bedroom while Horatio, into the guest room.

Once in the room, Calleigh shut the door. Immediately her mask disappeared and she broke down into tears. Her strong front had shattered into pieces. She was sobbing silently in the room. She was in her own world. No matter how hard she tried to stay strong, she just couldn't. Losing her baby was one thing but having her own husband in the house but not by her side was just too much. She needed him. He was so near yet so far. Seated and leaning on the door, Calleigh continued crying. She was too emotionally exhausted. The loss of her unborn baby had taken a toll on her. She was still blaming herself for it; for not taking care of her pregnancy. She sobbed harder. When she had lost the baby a month ago, Horatio was not by her side to give her words of encouragement or just simply hold her. That was all she needed; for someone, especially the man she loved to just hold her. Instead of the man she needed the most, it was her friends who had stayed by her. Her husband was too busy chasing criminals. He was too busy protecting his family that he had forgotten to weigh the consequences of it.

If only Horatio had not proceeded with his plan to hunt down the man who had been threatening him, then none of these would have happened. She would still be pregnant with their third child and Horatio would still be by her side when she needed her during her emotional times. Horatio would still be there to hold her when she needed him to. She wanted to blame him for everything that happened but she knew she couldn't. He was just trying to protect his family. She was confused. She wanted badly to just disappear; to escape from all of these. She doesn't know how much more she could take. She was crying harder that her shoulders were shaking violently. Tears were streaming down her cheeks continuously.

She placed her hand on her abdomen, thinking back about the child she lost. Initially she was not prepared for another baby but it was after all her baby, her blood and flesh. She was excited for its arrival. She could have been nearing the end of her second trimester. The baby should be arriving in another three to four months but it was not going to happen. She clutched at her abdomen tightly. There could have been a baby bump if she had not been stupid enough to get off the bed when she was weak. It was flat. Her stomach was now flat. There was no more life growing in it. She was no longer pregnant and upon realization, she cried harder.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N : Another update yet again. Hope you love this chapter as much as i did. I fangirled when i was writing this chapter for some reason which you will find out when you read it.**

** By the way, thank you to all who reviewed my story. Your reviews have kept me going and going. So yes, your support is much appreciated ;)**

**Cheerios! ;)**

**Previously...**

There could have been a baby bump if she had not been stupid enough to get off the bed when she was weak. It was flat. Her stomach was now flat. There was no more life growing in it. She was no longer pregnant and upon realization, she cried harder.

* * *

Horatio on the other hand, settled down in the guest room feeling bad that he turned Calleigh down. She was his wife yet he doesn't want to sleep in the same room as her because he just was not prepared. He have not adapted to it yet. It was only his first day back home. He lied down flat on the bed with his hands intertwined, cradling head. He was just thinking about Calleigh and the children. He felt the connection with Calleigh but he was just feeling awkward. All of these were new to him. He wondered how he was before the accident happened, before he lost his memory. He wondered how he treated Calleigh. How he greeted her good morning. Did he greet her with a kiss or did he greet her with a scrumptious breakfast. He wondered how he kissed her; was it tenderly or passionately. How he held her in his arms. He wondered if he was a loving husband or was he a selfish husband. He even wondered if he was a loving father or an abusive father.

He saw the flash of fear in his son's eyes. He knew he had seen it somewhere but he didn't know where. He then asked himself if he was an abusive father and that the fear that he saw was really from his son. He shrugged that thought off when he recalled the way his son called out to him and reached out to him. He was definitely not an abusive father. If he was, then his son and daughter would avoid him at all cost and not fall asleep in his arms. Horatio needed to know who he was before the accident happened. He needed to know what went on before that. He needed to know what had caused the accident. He had so many unanswered questions to which he needed an answer. He wanted the answer now but the only person who has the answer was his wife, Calleigh. She would know every single thing but he didn't want to disturb her sleep. However, his mind insisted that he needed to know the truth.

He swung his legs off the bed and made his way to the other room to find Calleigh. As he was about to knock on the door, he heard sobbing from inside the room. It was soft but he could hear it clearly. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he felt an achy sensation forming in his chest. Somehow, subconsciously, it hurt him to hear her crying. He didn't want to disturb her somewhere deep down, he had the desire to hold her in his arms as he soothed her. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to make her feel better because she was his wife. However, Horatio himself knew that was not reason why he wanted to hold her in his arms. There was something else which he couldn't figure out. It was just something in him that wanted to do that.

"Calleigh…" He called out as he knocked on the door. He waited for a little while for a response but there wasn't any. The crying had stopped. "Calleigh…" He knocked once again. "Calleigh I know you're in there. I'm sorry if I hurt you. Can you please just open the door? As your husband I ought to know what is going on." Horatio decided to use his role as a husband to get her to open the door. There was still no response from inside the room. "I am going to wait out here until you open the door. Please Calleigh. What's going on? I need to know Calleigh."

Inside the room, Calleigh had immediately stood up when she heard his voice calling for her. She quickly wiped off her tears and dried her face with her shirt. Horatio kept calling her and kept knocking on the door. She really didn't need this. Yes, she did want Horatio to be by her side to hold her but she didn't need it now. She wanted to be alone. She wanted privacy; away from everything else. She didn't want Horatio to see her in such vulnerable and emotional state. She didn't want to open the door. Instead, she moved towards her bed, away from the door and sat at the end of the bed. The more she ignored, the more that Horatio knocked and called out her name. He wasn't going to go away. He was so determined to make her open the door.

"Calleigh. Could you please talk to me?" He called out again.

"Just go Horatio. I need my rest."

"No. You're not resting. I can hear you crying Calleigh. And I dont know why but I want to know. Is it me? Are you crying because of me? Please Calleigh. I know I'm at fault."

"It's not. Please Horatio. Just leave me alone. I need to be alone."

"Calleigh, please. I'm not leaving until you open the door. I know I was the one who made you cry. Please Calleigh. Let me be there for you like you have been there for me. Let me be your husband." Horatio kept begging but Calleigh was not budging. Horatio knocked again.

Calleigh ignored his pleas but the moment she heard his last sentence, her head shot up immediately. She had not expected him to say that. Her heart broke when she heard him beg to that extent. She wiped her face that was once again wet with her tears and went to open the door for him. Horatio stood in front of her with a worried look on his face. She could see the concern in his eyes. His eyes were full of sincerity. It was the old him. The man who stood before her was the man she married.  
Horatio looked at the woman in front of him. She was clearly a broken woman. Something inside him tells him to take her in his arms but he doesn't know why. He felt guilty for causing so much pain in her life. Not only did he not remember her when he met her, he now decides not to share the same bed with her even though he knew she was his wife. He stepped forward and pulled her to him. He held her tight to his chest, embracing her as if he would never let her go. He held her head against his shoulder as he leaned his cheek against her hair. His left arm held her to his chest while his right hand stroked her hair up and down.

"Calleigh I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that I hurt you." Horatio whispered into her hair as he continued stroking her hair. He moved his hand down to rub her back to soothe her. He could her shaking violently in his arms but he still held on tight. He was not going to let go of her when she needed him. His doesn't know why but husband instincts finally decided to kick in and he felt like he needed to hold her forever. As he was holding her, he heard her mumbling and murmuring words that he could not figure. He tried to focus and listen harder to what she was murmuring into his shirt but he still couldn't. Horatio adjusted their position a little so that Calleigh would not be murmuring into his shirt. It was then that everything she was murmuring became clear. She was saying that she was sorry. She kept repeating the same words over and over again.

"I'm sorry Horatio. I'm sorry." Horatio doesn't know why she kept apologizing to him and he wanted to know except this was not the right time for him to pry it out of her. He would have to wait for her to calm down and wait for another day to get all his questions answered. For now, he needed to focus his attention onto this broken angel in his arms. She had been taking care of him for the past few weeks and she was very patient with him whenever he broke out in rage. It was his turn to care for her. It was his turn to be there for her like she had been when he needed her. Horatio wanted to just lift her and carry her to the bed but knowing that he hasn't fully recovered, he had to strike that thought off. Instead, he walked her to the bed and laid her on it very gently. Calleigh on the other hand, held on tight to Horatio, not wanting to let him go. She wanted to feel his touch. When he laid her on the bed, she still hung on to him although Horatio made all the effort to let go of her.

"Calleigh, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here with you." Horatio tried again as he tried to loosen her grip on his neck. Calleigh was still saying that she was sorry while holding tight onto him. The phrase 'I'm sorry' had become her chants. In the end, Horatio gave up trying to break away from her and shifted her towards the center of the bed so that he could sit on the bed while holding her. He settled himself and leaned onto the headboard as he allowed Calleigh to lay her head onto his chest. Calleigh wrapped her arm around his abdomen while she snuggled herself into him, just feeling his warmth and listening to his heartbeat. She was exhausted.

Horatio let them stay in that position until he felt Calleigh's breathings steadied and her grip on him loosen. Once she felt the grip loosen, he tried to gently lift her arm off himself but Calleigh seemed to have the ability to sense it. She shifted closer into him and his plan to escape from her failed. He gave up and decided to just stay in there. However, he needed to be comfortable. He had to shift her a little in order for him to be able to lie down and sleep comfortably. After a few turns and shifts, he finally did it. With his arms around her, he managed to lie down comfortably but with her laying on his chest. He could not be bothered anymore. Somehow, deep inside, it felt so right.

The next morning, Calleigh woke up feeling something wrapped around her. She looked down and saw his hand and the ring that distinguished himself from any other man. She was initially afraid that she had done something stupid and that the arm wrapped around her did not belong to her husband. She sighed in relief realizing it was him; Horatio. She then intertwined their fingers and stretched her neck up to give a peck on his cheek, waking him up slowly. Horatio slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the green eyes of an angel in his arms.

"Morning handsome." Horatio stared into her eyes. They were bright and filled with so much happiness and excitement compared to the night before where they were filled with pain and sorrow. He was glad yet nervous when he realized how intimate their positions were. He panicked.

"Relax Horatio." Calleigh patted his chest gently and rose herself from him. She wanted to act like nothing happened last night. She wanted to forget about it. She wanted him to forget about it. She was not supposed to have a major breakdown. She was supposed to be the strong one. Horatio relaxed and sat up.

"You use the bathroom first. I'll prepare breakfast. And I'll get you a fresh set of clothes." Horatio looked at her dumbfounded. He just stared at her without saying a word. He just nodded. The moment he entered the bathroom, he saw all the things he needed. His towel, his toothbrush, his shaver and even his aftershave. After taking notice of all that, he went into the shower. As he was done with his shower, he stepped out of the bathroom and saw his clothes laid out neatly for him. Calleigh really took care of him.

He walked towards the wardrobe to see what his style of clothes was. He needed to know what he was like before the accident. He needed to know who he was. He opened the first door. It wasn't his. It was Calleigh's. Since it was a two-door, he jumped to the third door and there it was. Most of them were suits and shirts. He picked one of the suits out and looked at it closely. It was neat and sewn to perfection. He looked at the insides and knew why. It was an Armani suit. He was amazed by the choice of brand he wore. He checked the rest of his suits and they were all Armani. His wardrobe was very neat. It was arranged from suits to shirts to pants. His casual wear was at the other end of the wardrobe, after his pants.

"Handsome..." Horatio immediately turned and slammed the wardrobe door. "Horatio it's okay. They're yours."

"All mine? They're all Armani." Horatio asked unbelievably. Calleigh nodded.

"You only go for perfection and quality."

"I guess that explains it all." Calleigh raised her left eyebrow in question of his statement. "That explains why you're my wife." Horatio smiled shyly.

"Why Horatio. Flattery won't get you anywhere." Calleigh smiled back at him. She was glad that his normal teasing self was back. "Come on, breakfast is ready. Maybe we could swing by the park later for a walk." Horatio nodded as he followed behind Calleigh who had already intertwined their fingers.

Horatio sat down and settled himself down while Calleigh prepared the food and set the table up. She made pancakes and bacon for both of them. Calleigh then took a seat opposite Horatio. She missed this. She missed having a nice breakfast with him. Usually it was either him who prepared breakfast or they would prepare it together. She rarely had to prepare it alone. She was an early riser but Horatio made it a point to make her breakfast even though it was only just a sandwich and coffee. Calleigh smiled quietly. Horatio looked at her and saw her smiling. He wanted to ask why she was smiling but he didn't think it was needed. He preferred her to be happy instead of sad just like last night. It had somehow hurt him when he saw her crying. He wanted to know why she had broken down and why she kept saying sorry but seeing her happy made him push aside that thought. It was better that she was happy.

After breakfast, Horatio volunteered to do the dishes while Calleigh went up to prepare the babies since Horatio has agreed to take a walk at the park. She showered both the children and by the time she was done, Horatio was done with the dishes and was already in the nursery. He offered to help dress the babies up while Calleigh goes to take her shower. He looked around the nursery. He was clueless but since he has already offered to help, there was no way he could back out. He placed Alayna in the cot wrapped in towel while he placed Horatius on the changing table, trying to figure out what to do next.

"I'm sorry. I'm still trying to figure everything out." Horatio said softly to his son. His son was quiet and just stared at him as if he understood. Horatio saw the diapers below the changing table and a basket of baby products. He figured that must be it. In the end, he managed to put on the diapers for Horatius succesfully and now he had to put on clothes for him. He then saw a pile of folded baby clothes and took one from the pile. He opened it up and it had printed words.

_'I'm sorry girls but I only date models.'_ Horatio thought it was cute. He picked that and then picked a pink shirt that says _'I only date hunks like my dad.'_ Horatio chuckled softly. He made sure Alayna was going to wear that out. He got them both ready within minutes and was ready to show them off. He carried both of his children out of the room as if he had done it so many times. He didn't know where that came from but he loved it. He realized he kind of loved being a father. Calleigh almost bumped into him and the children when she was about to check on him and she saw that Horatio had done a good job. She smiled at him.

"I knew you could do it." Calleigh said, impressed with her husband. She took Horatius from Horatio and they both headed out. Calleigh had already prepared all their neccessities such as their milk and diapers.

Once at the park, they decided to just sit and relax, enjoying the scenery. Calleigh allowed her children to explore on their own on her watch. She made sure the both of them were in plain sight. She does not believe in over-protecting the children. She herself was brought up in such environment where she was allowed to explore. While watching her twins crawl around, she snuggled into Horatio who had his arm around her shoulders.

Suddenly, as they were enjoying their time, embracing the weather and watching their children exploring the nature, a man in suit came up and picked Horatius up. Horatio immediately felt a threat coming. He felt the hostility in that man. He wanted to take his son back. Horatio stood up in an instant, leaving Calleigh seated and went forward towards the man and grabbed Horatius away from him. Horatius was starting to cry. He then went on to pick his daughter up.

"Don't touch my children." Horatio said in a warning tone. "I may not remember you but I already don't trust you." The man smirked at Horatio.

"Relax Horatio. It's me." The man offered to shake his hand but Horatio ignored. He just look at the square-jawed man in front of him. He had a very cunning look on his face that Horatio did not like. He sensed trouble.

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P**

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N : Another update yet again. Hope you love this chapter as much as i did. **

** By the way, thank you to all who reviewed my story. Your reviews have kept me going and going. So yes, your support is much appreciated ;)**

**Cheerios! ;)**

**Previously...**

"Don't touch my children." Horatio said in a warning tone. "I may not remember you but I already don't trust you." The man smirked at Horatio.

"Relax Horatio. It's me." The man offered to shake his hand but Horatio ignored. He just look at the square-jawed man in front of him. He had a very cunning look on his face that Horatio did not like. He sensed trouble.

* * *

Calleigh took her place beside Horatio and took her daughter into her arms while she left Horatius with Horatio. She stared at the man in front of her with such cold expression.

"Rick, what do you want?"

"Mrs. Caine. Nice to see you. I just wanted to see how your husband is doing. Is that wrong?"

"I know what you want Rick. I told you. Not now. Not yet."

"Well then why did you ask. I told Mr. Delko that I needed to talk to his boss didn't I?"

"Why can't you understand Rick? He's not ready yet." Horatio turned to look at Calleigh and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not ready for what Calleigh?" Horatio have got no idea what she was talking about. He looked at Calleigh and back to the man in front of him.

"You haven't told him? Ahh… Why am I not surprised Calleigh." Rick smiled smugly. "Well you better tell him soon because I need to talk to him already and I think it would be better that he hears it from you than myself." Rick looked over to Horatio who was still staring at him coldly.

"I'll see you soon." Rick said as he turned to leave.

Horatio immediately turned to her. He needed to know what was going on. There was something that they were not telling him and it had looked very serious. This could be the answer to all his questions that he had been asking himself. Now was the time. He placed Horatius in the stroller then started questioning Calleigh.

Calleigh, what is going on? What is it that you're not telling me?"

"Horatio…" Before Calleigh could complete her sentence, Horatio interrupted.

"Who was that man? You have something going on with him?" Horatio looked at her, waiting for an answer. Maybe he was afterall not they man he thought he was. Maybe he had disappointed her too much that she decided to go with another man and that the accident had changed everything. He thought maybe he and Calleigh were in the process of getting a divorce when the accident happened. Maybe she was forced into taking care of him and now her lover wants her to leave him.

"Oh god no Horatio. I love you and I will never do that. Ever. How could you say that Horatio." Calleigh looked at him with tears in her eyes. She felt hurt that Horatio had accused her of something like that. The time suddenly stood still for her and their happy moments were ripped away. All because of Rick Stetler. He was always causing trouble; always ripping away happiness that they have. Right now, all Calleigh wanted was to grab Rick from the back and slam him to any nearest wall or at least a tree trunk since they were at the park. It was then it hit her that Rick must have been following them to find them at the park. They just could not get a break.

She recalled every single event that happened to them or to him at least. At first, he had attempted suicide because he could not get over the loss of Marisol but managed to bounce back with her help. Then just after they got together, the torment started. Lisa Santorio came back to seek revenge on Horatio and that was when she got to know about his past in New York. That he was actually a John Kelly who worked in the gang and robbery division and had fled from New York to Miami with a change of identity to escape from a ruthless mob. Then just after they got married, his former partner had broken into their house and held them captive, almost causing their death on their wedding night. His past kept coming back and all of them came back one after another. A few months after, they had a major fight caused by a letter sent anonymously by a person who wanted to be known as Tu Amante Apasionado which translates to Your Passionate Lover. That did not end well either. They fought, Calleigh left him just like that because she thought he had cheated on her and she got kidnapped after that. She had nearly lost her life including her babies' until Horatio found her. They were only ten seconds away from being blown up. If Horatio had not pulled the correct wire, they would have been dead already.

The twins arrived shortly after the event and even then, they still had not caught a break. The anonymous sender had contacted Horatio and asked to meet in New York. Calleigh knew that it was not a good idea for him to fly over but Horatio insisted. He said it was for the family. Little did he know that he had caused more harm instead of saving his family. It was then that Calleigh had gotten the news that Horatio had gone missing and that they could not find him. She broke down and the only thing she remembered was being told that she lost her unborn child. She was told that nurses found her at the bottom of the stairs and only then that she recalled she was looking for Horatio when it happened. She knew he was alive. He came to meet her but she couldn't accept the fact that he lied to her.

Calleigh was miserable and torn after she had gotten the bad news. She avoided talking to anyone. She didn't even welcome any visitors including Alexx but Alexx forced her way through anyway. She did not even want to see her children after that. She felt as if she was a letdown; that she was such a bad mother.

After a few days in the hospital, Alexx told her that Horatio was there, alive but in critical condition. She did not want to care. Not only did he lie to her but he did not trust her enough to let her in his plans. If he had told her, she might still be pregnant. Until Alexx told her and persuaded her to see Horatio because of his condition, she did not visit him. Not once. She was too hurt by his actions.

After having gone through such ordeals, Horatio had finally returned alive. Calleigh was glad that he was still alive because no matter how angry she was at him, she could not stay angry. She loved him too much. She was however broken when she found out that Horatio had lost his memory but she didn't care about that anymore. All she asked for was for her husband to return to her. She was going to help him and they were going to build a new life. Then again, despite him returning, they still could not get a break. People are still giving them problems and not letting them have their time.

"Who is he Calleigh?" Horatio asked again, breaking her chain of thoughts.

"He's Rick Stetler." He had heard that name before but he just couldn't remember it.

"And who is he?"

"Can we go home before I can explain to you about it?"

"No Calleigh. I want to know right now who he is." Horatio's voice was stern.

Calleigh felt like breaking down at that very moment but being aware of her environment, she kept her cool. After being questioned again, Calleigh snapped.

"He is not my boyfriend if that's what you are thinking! I stood by you and cared for you all these while and here you are accusing me of having an affair?" Calleigh raised her voice that visitors around them could hear them.

"I was by your side 24/7 Horatio! Where did I find the time to have an affair? The babies are already taking half of my life! I cannot believe this Horatio!" Calleigh then stormed off with her children in the stroller. She cried so hard that she could not bring herself to walk further. Instead, she stopped at a bench nearby and sat there, crying.

"Calleigh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I...I don't know what I was thinking." Calleigh looked up at the man in front of her. Horatio was kneeling before her with his hands on her knee. She was starting to calm down from her breakdown.

"He's not my boyfriend Horatio. I love you. I will never do that. Please believe me Horatio." Calleigh said softly.

"I believe you Calleigh. I'm so sorry that I accused you." Horatio then reached up one hand and lightly brushed his thumb across her cheek to wipe away her tears. "I don't want you to cry anymore." Horatio almost slipped off the words 'I love you' to her but stopped himself. He was not sure. He might have felt comfortable around her but he was not sure if he meant those words sincerely. Horatio stood and pulled her up to her feet then pulled her to him and held her tight. He was really sorry for what he did.

Now that Calleigh has already calmed down, she offered to go home which Horatio gladly agreed to. Both of them needed a quiet place to talk. Calleigh needed to explain to him what had happened before the accident. She knew that she could not possibly keep it from him forever. There would come a day that he would start asking her all kinds of questions about his past. He needed to know what was going on.

Calleigh made sure both her children were settled in and asleep in their cribs before she guided Horatio into the living room. She settled herself on the couch opposite Horatio and stared at him. She needed to do this. She had to. Horatio was looking at her and waiting patiently for her to talk to him. Calleigh sighed.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Horatio nodded.

"I need to know Calleigh." Calleigh sighed and started opening her mouth, explaining everything to him. She started explaining about how letters of sexual content was sent to him and had led to their major fight.

"What happened then?" Calleigh stopped talking. She could not bring herself to talk about it. It was too painful.

"I left you because I thought you were cheating on me when I found those letters." Horatio looked shocked but he continued waiting on her for further explanation.

"If you had not come on time to save me, I wouldn't be here Horatio. You came to find for me after you received a video tape of me after I was kidnapped and I was strapped to a bomb-vest. If you hadn't pulled the right wires, we wouldn't be here." Calleigh had started to cry a little but she calmed herself down to continue explaining to him.

"After you and I reunited and after the birth of the babies, the same person sent a letter to you, wanting to meet you in New York."

"Is that how the accident happened?" Calleigh nodded.

"You went to hunt down the guy. I told you not to but you insisted that you needed to do it. That you needed to save our family from this guy before he gets to us. And you did. You saved us from him."

"Who was the man earlier?"

"He's from IAB." Horatio raised his eyebrow, silently questioning. "Internal Affairs Bureau. He's investigating what happened. He needs to know the actual recount of the incident."

"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier? Why did you keep such important information from me Calleigh?" Calleigh was shocked at his question. She did not expect Horatio ask that question.

"You weren't ready. I'm sorry I kept it from you." Calleigh looked down to her hands. She was just fiddling with her fingers, intertwining them.

"And when do you think I will be ready Calleigh? I will never be ready but I have to be. Why can't you just tell me about it? That was vital information."

"Are you blaming me now Horatio? I was just taking care of you. I didn't want to stress you out."

"Taking care of me? You lied to me Calleigh." Calleigh could not believe those words. She was speechless. She didn't know what else to say. "You knew from the start that I have been asking you these questions. Questions about the accident. About what happened but you ignored it. You brushed it off and you kept saying I wasn't ready. I wanted to know Calleigh! I just wanted to know." His voice softened. Calleigh felt an aching sensation in her chest. Horatio was blaming her when she had just wanted to protect him. Even when telling him about the incident, she did not tell him the truth. She sugarcoated all the facts. She neglected to mention the fact that he faked his death and also the fact that he caused more harm to the family. She was still trying to protect him.

"Horatio I really don't know what to say. I tried my best to take care of you. The doctors told me not to stress you out. Telling you everything might lead to you being stressed out because you can't remember it. I just didn't want that."

"Calleigh. I just needed the truth. Is that so difficult?" Calleigh could hear the anger in his voice. The only time she has ever heard him being angry was when she compared him to his abusive father and that was completely her fault. "Do you know how hard it is to live with no memory of anything? I didn't even remember who you were. Not even the babies. I don't even know them Calleigh. Do you know how frustrating this is? Living with someone who I barely know and having to lead a life like this? Being a husband and being a father in an instant?" Calleigh's heart broke. It shattered. A single tear rolled down her cheek. She wanted to say something but she couldn't.

"I don't even know you Calleigh. This whole thing…Living here…with the children…Everything is just so weird. It is so frustrating! Every night I try to remember who I was and who I am. Every night in the hospital when you sat by my side, I cannot stop thinking why you would want to stay with me when I can't even remember who you are. It hurts to know that someone who was supposedly my wife didn't even bother telling me truth."

"Because you're my husband and I care for you. I love you. It's my responsibility." Calleigh said softly as she wiped the tear that rolled down her cheek.

"Please. I don't want you to do it because it's your responsibilities."

"Horatio. Didn't you hear me? I said I love you. That is why I did it!" Calleigh snapped.

"I can't do this Calleigh. I barely know you. I don't even know who I am."

"But you told me you felt the connection with me." Calleigh whispered.

"I felt the instant connection but I don't know what I feel inside Calleigh. I can't do this. I feel like I'm living a fake life." She stared at him and her eyes trailed to his hands. He was twisting his ring on his left hand. He was slowly twisting and pulling the ring off his finger.

"I cannot do this Calleigh. I'm sorry." Horatio stepped forward, reached for her arm and held it out for him to place the ring on her palm. "I cannot live this life." He bent down and kissed her on her cheek. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for showing me the family. I just really need to find myself before I can ever lead this life. You take care Calleigh. Take care of the children." Horatio gave her a slight smile and walked away, leaving Calleigh confused and dumbfounded.

**To be continued...**

**I cried writing this chapter. I really did :'(**

**Reviews? ;P **

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N : Another update yet again. Hope you love this chapter as much as i did. **

** By the way, thank you to all who reviewed my story. Your reviews have kept me going and going. So yes, your support is much appreciated ;)**

**Cheerios! ;)**

**Previously...**

"I cannot do this Calleigh. I'm sorry." Horatio stepped forward, reached for her arm and held it out for him to place the ring on her palm. "I cannot live this life." He bent down and kissed her on her cheek. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for showing me the family. I just really need to find myself before I can ever lead this life. You take care Calleigh. Take care of the children." Horatio gave her a slight smile and walked away, leaving Calleigh confused and dumbfounded.

* * *

Calleigh could only stare at the ring in her hand and grasped it tight. She could not believe Horatio was going to leave her. She called out to Horatio before following after him. Horatio did not turn back. Instead, he continued walking away and towards the door. As he turned the knob of the door, Calleigh spoke up.

"That's what you always do isn't it? Just go and leave your family behind to clean up after you. To mend their broken hearts on their own." Horatio stopped. His hand was still on the knob. "If you want to leave, just leave. Because that's what you do. That's the only thing you do. Every time when I need you, you leave."

He let go of the knob and turned to face her. Horatio was speechless. He stood in front of her, dumbfounded. Did he really leave her when she needed him the most? Why couldn't he remember anything about that? Was he such a neglectful husband? His questions about what kind of husband he was had finally been answered. He was not a good husband to her.

"I'm sorry. I guess I never made a difference in your life afterall. I was just lawfully your husband but I never did carry out my responsibilities as a husband. I'm sorry if I made your life a misery. I will be out of here and I will lead my own life. Just take care of the children."

"It's always me isn't it? Taking care of the babies is always my responsibilities. Where were you when your children needed you? Where were you when I needed you the most?" Calleigh started having tears rolling down her cheeks. Horatio stared at her, not knowing what to answer. "YOU LEFT EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD WAS SICK!" She wiped her own tears and continued lashing at Horatio.

"You said you needed to go because you wanted to keep us safe. You wanted to keep me safe. That you wanted to protect our children. But guess what. News Flash Horatio. You didn't manage to save us all. Instead of saving us, you caused us more harm. Did you ever think of that? If you hadn't left, I would still be pregnant with our third baby!" As hard as she tried to control her tears and control herself from crying, she still broke down and just let her emotions run. Her strong facade finally gave way.

Horatio gulped. Had he heard it right? Did she mention a third baby? He wasn't sure he heard it right until she repeated the sentence.

"I would still be pregnant if it wasn't for you. If only you hadn't faked your death, this wouldn't have happened. If only you had trusted me as your wife and let me in the plan, it wouldn't have happened. Why Horatio. You are always thinking about yourself! About your pride! You always forget that you have a family who needed you." Calleigh continued crying. Except this time, she had fallen to her knees with her hand still clutching onto the ring that Horatio handed her earlier. "I've had enough Horatio. When I almost lost the baby, you had the guts to come to me at the hospital and causing me the pain all over again. Then when I lost the baby, I had to pick myself up on my own while you were away chasing a criminal you don't even know. You didn't even know I had a miscarriage. You didn't even know I had lost the baby."

"Calleigh..." Horatio knelt in front of her and tried to reach for her hand but she was quicker than him and a tight slap came flying across his cheek.

"You talk to me about it being frustrating living without a memory. You talk about it being frustrating living a life you don't remember. But have you ever spare a thought for me Horatio? I am tired Horatio. I am tired of being the strong one. I am tired of waiting for you to return to me. I am tired of everything. Do you know how devastating it is to lose a baby and not have my OWN husband by my side to hold me? To comfort me? All I had was my friends but what I really needed was you. Just you Horatio. I just needed you to hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay." Calleigh sobbed harder. Horatio hung his head low, ashamed of himself. He just sat, kneeling in front of her, listening to whatever that she has got to say.

"And then you tell me that every day you think about why I would want to stay by your side. Have it ever crossed your mind that maybe I did it because I love you? Because you needed me? Now let me tell you something you don't know. Every day I think about the baby I lost, about a husband whom I also lost due to his pride and selfishness. Have it ever crossed your mind that every day I keep blaming myself over the lost of my baby?" Calleigh looked up at him.

"All I wanted was just for you to return to me. That's all I ask of you Horatio. It doesn't matter if you cannot remember because I will help you. Even if it takes me years. I'm willing to wait. I'm willing to make you fall in love with me all over again. I just need you back in my life."

"Calleigh why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Because I love you Horatio. And I know deep down you do love me. I just know it Horatio."

"I cannot do this Calleigh. I cannot live this life. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to lie to you."

"You're always thinking of yourself! You just have never cared. I loved you. I cared about you but it's never enough is it Horatio? Fine. You want to leave? Then leave Horatio. I don't need you. All these while I've managed without you. I managed to mend my own heart without you. I managed to care for the children without you. I even managed to get through the loss of my baby without you. Just go." At those words, Horatio suddenly felt hesitant to leave. She just said 'her' baby and not theirs. He was a little hurt but he knew that he could not compare it to the hurt she felt. Now he didn't want her to be alone especially in her vulnerable state. He suddenly felt himself caring for her. He felt himself wanting to take the pain away from her. Seeing her break down once again in front of him just broke his heart. He didn't know why. Everything that she lashed out to him was absorbing into his head and he was processing it slowly.

He had seen her break down once because he refused to sleep in the same room as her. Now she had broken down once again because of his selfishness. He was contemplating as to whether he needed to take her in his arms and comfort her like he did with her the first time she broke down. He looked at her and saw the hand clutching onto the ring. He felt a pang to his heart. He just handed the ring back to her. He had just returned the ring. Then he realized what that meant. He had just taken back the vow that he had said to her when they got married. He suddenly remembered the vow Calleigh read to him when he was in the hospital. He recalled the line. _'I will love and comfort you, hold you close, prize you above all others.'_ He had promised her that. Even though he couldn't remember it, he knew that Calleigh would never lie to him about that.

"Calleigh..." Horatio called out as he moved forward to claim her in his arms. She resisted. She tried with all her might to push him away but the more she pushed him away, the tighter he held her.

"Let me go Horatio. I don't need you. You can just leave. All these while I've managed without you." Horatio held on to her still. His grips were tighter than before. Calleigh on the other hand, was still not giving up. With her palms on his chest, she pushed him away and tried to pull herself away from his grip. "Go away Horatio. Let me go." Horatio never backed down and neither did she. Calleigh cried harder. Horatio ended up pushing her head down gently onto his shoulder. She finally gave in and stopped resisting him. He just let her cry into his shirt and he could feel the wetness. She was crying so hard. In their sitting position, Horatio pulled her as close as he could. He suddenly felt guilty. After all she had just told him, he realized that he was being unfair to her. He was being selfish. Suddenly he felt something dropped onto his lap and then heard a clink. It was his ring. The clink broke their momentum and Calleigh pulled away from him.

"Go if you need to Horatio." He looked at her with sad eyes. The ring on the floor caught his eye and he picked it up. "You don't need to hold on to the ring. I can take it back." Those words suddenly felt like a knife stabbing through his chest. He didn't know why. Maybe it was true what she said. Maybe deep down he did love her.

"It's mine. It belongs to me." Horatio held onto it.

"You don't need it anymore Horatio." Calleigh quickly snatched it away from his hand and he was left gaping. "It belongs to me now." Calleigh turned to leave him at the door but instead of letting her go, Horatio grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. He looked straight into her eyes and all he saw was a broken angel. He saw the tears in her eyes and on her cheeks. He fought hard, the urge to kiss the tears away. Her eyes were puffed and her face was red. It was wet with all her tears. Her lips were pink and a little puffed. Once again, he fought the urge to taste her lips, to feel the softness and the warmth. He remembered the first time they kissed in the hospital. It was intense but pleasurable. He could never forget that and he wanted to relive that moment.

Without him realizing, he was already leaning closer to her, closing the gap between them as he bent his head lower and their lips met. It wasn't fast. It wasn't hard. It was gentle yet strong. Her lips were soft, with a taste of saltiness from her tears earlier. He moved closer as he brought his hands up. One around her neck, pulling her to him and the other, raking through her hair. He could feel the dampness of her skin as his cheek touched hers. He felt her warm, wet tears on his cheeks and now on his lips, just enough for him to know that she was crying again. Nevertheless he could still feel her responding to his kiss. He sensed urgency in her. She was urging him on. The kiss that he thought was going slow was getting more urgent. It was fast. He could feel her nudging him for entrance.

He wanted to pull away right then. Before it gets too heated. Instead, his body and desires betrayed his mind. As Calleigh wrapped her arms around his neck, he gave in to his desires. He felt the tip of her tongue brushing over his lower lip. Gentle at first then her pace and pressure increased. His body betrayed him once again when he responded to her. By now, he could feel a sharp and hard object poking his lower body. It was then he realized that Calleigh had pushed him further along the doorway and he was leaning on the table with her leaning on him, kissing and dominating. He had to take action before it went further. He had to break it.

"Calleigh." He called her, trying to get her back to her senses. She was still in a daze when he let go of her. "Calleigh we cannot do this."

**To be continued...**

**Reviews? ;P **

**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N : Another update yay! Hope you enjoy it :)**

**Just a little warning, this chapter would contain sexual acts. Anyone uncomfortable with it or below the age limit, please skip the first half of the chapter. And for those 'experienced' readers, I'm apologize in advance if the 'scene' is not perfect or nonsensical or if it doesn't make sense. I tried my best writing the scene without being explicit. But if I did not do a good job, I'm really sorry.**

**Cheerios! ;)**

**Previously...**

It was then he realized that Calleigh had pushed him further along the doorway and he was leaning on the table with her leaning on him, kissing and dominating. He had to take action before it went further. He had to break it.

"Calleigh." He called her, trying to get her back to her senses. She was still in a daze when he let go of her. "Calleigh we cannot do this."

* * *

She was hit by reality; by his words. Those words, they stung her. "Why can't we Horatio?" She whispered, defenselessly. "You're my husband and I'm your wife. Why can't we?" He couldn't come up with any answers. She was right. He was her husband.

"Calleigh you don't want to do this. You don't need this. You're doing this on impulse. You're talking emotionally. I'm sorry. I have to go. We cannot do this."

"Horatio please don't do this to me. I need you." He looked at her, stared into her eyes. He saw the need in her but he couldn't. He didn't want to take advantage of her emotional breakdown.

"Calleigh you don't need me." He straightened up and headed towards the door but before he could make it, Calleigh grabbed his arm and pushed him with her body against the wall. He could sense the urgency in her and as she pushed him to the wall, he could not resist her. He was caught by surprise. Her kisses were strong and forceful. They were fierce. Her lips on his and her hands were all over him. He could not push back. His body had given up and he had surrendered to her. Her lips were no longer on his and all he wanted was to taste her once again. A moan escaped his mouth when he felt her on his neck, slowly moving up to his neck. It was slowing down and the pressure was lighter. She had somehow sensed that he stopped resisting.

Hands still on him, she pushed herself further into him. She continued planting gentle yet firm kisses on his neck, and as she reached the back of his ear, it got stronger. Another moan escaped from him.

"I need you Horatio." She whispered into his ear. Her voice was filled with so much need and urgency that it sent shivers down his spine. He felt goosebumps on his skin. He felt her hands now working on his shirt, unbuttoning it with so much desperation. They were quick that he did not realize when she had pushed his shirt down his body. He still had an undershirt.

"Horatio please touch me." He suddenly realized that she had let his hands go long time ago when she felt him surrendering. It hit him that he hadn't touched her. It was her doing all the work. He didn't want this but he felt his body betray him. His desires to touch her and to kiss her took over his sane mind. He took control and now his lips were on hers, tasting and biting on it. Not hard but not soft. As if on auto-pilot, he felt himself pulling himself away from the wall and pushing her gently and slowly. His arm was wrapped around her waist while his other free hand pulled her closer into him. She moaned softly as he brushed the tip of his tongue against hers. He felt her fingers raking through his hair. He hadn't noticed that he was pushing her into the living room until he felt her tumbling over the couch and pulling him along to cause him to be on top of her.

Her hands were no longer raking through his hair. She had moved it further down and was working on his belt. He flinched a little but she had her legs wrapped around him. For the first time, he felt his skin on hers. His hand went under her blouse and he slowly caressed her soft, delicate skin. He felt the warmth of her skin against his palm as he went further up. His desires heightened. He wanted more. He wanted to feel all of her. He pulled away his hand and pulled her blouse over her head. There she was, his angel. He leaned into her and caught her lips once again. He felt the dampness on her cheek once again. She was crying again.

He reached up with his hand and brushed his thumb over her tears then kissed away the remaining. "Don't cry sweetheart. I'm here." He had called her 'sweetheart' and he didn't know why but when he saw her stop crying, he shrugged it off as he continued touching and kissing her. Gently, his fingers grazed across her stomach and along her ribs. He heard a gasp from her as she sucked in her breath. His fingers continued exploring her body; it trailed along her neck then along her collarbone and slowly moved down, tracing the outline of her body, grazing over the piece of lacy fabric of her brassiere. Her eyes shot up to look at him. Those green eyes were darker than ever before. He did it again. He traced the contour of her body slowly and gently with the tip of his fingers and he felt her arched her back against him as she let out a soft moan. He gasped when she arched. He hadn't realized that his body had responded to her.

His desires told him to take her there, on the couch, but his sane mind knew better. He pulled away from her and stood up. She looked at him confused.

"Not here Calleigh. Not here." He growled with desire as reached for her, pulled her up along with him, and made their way to the bedroom. His arm tightened around her as he pushed her slowly towards the bedroom. He continued planting small kisses on her neck, her collarbone, her chest, until he felt her stop. The door was in their way. She paused and pulled his shirt off, leaving no barrier for her to feel him. He could not resist from gasping in pleasure when her soft delicate skin touched his. In matter of minutes, they were both in the room and he was already laid on top of her, hovering over her. There was no more barrier in between them. Along the way, he had reached up and unfastened her bra while she worked on his pants. He raised himself slightly off her and took in the sight of the angel below him.

"God you're so beautiful." He whispered. His agile fingers continued his caresses on her body, tracing along the outline of her breasts as he watch it awaken to his touch. She gasped and he smiled. Whatever he was doing, he was doing it right. She wrapped her legs around him tighter, allowing herself to feel him. She arched against him again. He understood she needed him and if he was honest with himself, he needed her as well.

"Horatio…" She purred into his ear and suddenly he gasped and flinched when she grazed her nails across his chest and down towards his stomach and went further down. He felt as if he could explode. She knew his sensitive spot. She knew her way around him. She traced over his scars on his body and he tensed up. She felt him tense in her embrace and she knew that her old Horatio was still in there. He was still conscious over his scars. "I love you Horatio. No matter what." That was enough to make him relax into her once again.

She arched again. This time, allowing him to feel how much she needed him. She allowed him to settle and pressed his erection against her as he tried to build her up to her climax. Both of them gave each other time to heighten their pleasure. Head pushed back into the pillow and her eyes rolled back, she gripped at his shoulder blade and dug into his skin as he brought her to a shattering climax when he entered and thrusts with his fingers. As the sound of her pleasure escaped her mouth, he took her lips in his to muffle the sound.

"I need you Horatio.." Her voice husky from her scream of pleasure earlier. He steadied himself on top of her, preparing himself to enter her when suddenly she had her hands on his chest, resisting him. He looked at her confused. "Protection…Please…" She pleaded. It then struck him about the loss of the baby. Their baby. She was still recovering from the loss. She reached up to the night stand and took out a pack of condom. She tore the pack with her own teeth then placed the condom on him, rolling it up for him.

"You okay Calleigh?" She nodded. He raised himself above her and she took him in her hand, guiding him to her. He entered her slowly, allowing her to absorb the feel of him. She took a deep breath as he entered her and she let out a sound, which sounded like music to his ears. Two bodies became one and two broken souls united. She arched her back towards him to better accept him and relentlessly moved her hips against his. She tightened her legs around him to pull him further into her. She met his rhythm thrust by thrust until she felt herself shuddering with pleasure beneath him.

Slow. Then fast. Gentle. Then Hard. She moaned. He moaned.

However, the sounds were muffled by the searing kiss they shared. He continued his thrusts; slow and gentle as she assisted him to reach his peak. She met his every thrust until she felt him tense up and she grazed his sensitive spot once again; bringing him to his pinnacle of pleasure. He felt her toes curling while she had legs wrapped around her and he knew. He knew that she too, had once again, achieved a great amount of pleasure. He smiled.

He was drained beyond words and for several minutes, he was unable to lift himself off her. She held him tight as she gently stroked his back, as if to comfort him; to express her gratitude towards him. She traced circles over his back, circling around his shoulder blade as she kissed him. As energy starts to return, he slid off her and went to dispose the filled condom. He came back to her, knowing that she was waiting for him. There was no need to run away. Their bodies and souls have become one. They both had comforted each other when they need it.

He climbed onto the bed and pulled the sheet over their bodies as they wrapped themselves around each other and snuggled. They needed it. They needed each other's touch to realize that they were meant for each other; that he was meant for her and she was meant for him. As they snuggled, she intertwined their fingers and he fiddled, just slowly caressing her hand. He felt the smooth and cold sensation on her finger and he raised her hand slightly, just enough to see what it was. It was then that it dawned upon him that his ring was nowhere on his finger. He had returned it to her earlier.

As he felt her relax into him and her breathings steadied, he slowly released her, got up and put on his clothes. Before he went out of the room, he turned to make sure she was really asleep. He needed to find the ring. His ring. It was somewhere in the living room or along the doorway. It must have dropped somewhere during their moments together. He trailed back the path they took but didn't see the ring anywhere, until he reached along the doorway and he saw it. It was slipped underneath the door. He tried as hard as possible to open the door without making any noise but he failed. The door creaked. He paused and waited. Nothing. He quickly picked the ring up and before he could slip it into his finger, he heard a voice.

"Horatio…" He turned around and there she was, wrapped in the sheet that was used to cover their bodies earlier. She looked disappointed and sad.

"Hey. What you doing up?"

"You're still leaving?"

"Calleigh, I'm not leaving. I just wanted to take back what's mine." He held up the ring in his hand and she smiled. It was the first he had ever seen. She was truly happy and she was glowing. He had not seen her this happy. He closed the door and went back to her. "I'm sorry Calleigh. I'm sorry for what I have done to you. I'm sorry if I wasn't a good husband to you or a good father to the children. Would you give me another chance to try again? I cannot promise you but I will try my best."

"Even if you have to fall in love with me all over again?" He looked at her. Millions of thoughts crossed his mind. Was he able to love her? Was he able to commit to this? To her? To the family? He felt the attraction towards her and there was connection between them but he wasn't sure if he could do it. He stared at her blankly with all such thoughts running through his head. His hand was idly fiddling with the ring that he had slipped into his finger earlier. He was too busy entertaining his thoughts that he did not hear Calleigh calling him until he felt something tapping on his arm. He then remembered the question. '_Was he able to fall in love with her all over again?'_ No doubt that she was a beautiful woman and she had taken care of him all these while when he needed her but he was afraid that if he were to go down this path and he couldn't love her, then he would be lying and hurting her. He didn't want to do that to her. She deserved better than that.

Then again, when he thought about it, he wouldn't know what to do if he were to leave. Where would he go if he left her? Who would care for him? After a month being cared for by her, he couldn't imagine his life without her. _'Am I falling for her?'_ He questioned himself. It had just been a month. How could he possibly have fallen for her? She was definitely an easy person to fall in love with. She was kind, caring, passionate and loving. She was all a man could ask for. She was perfect. He shook his head. Why would this woman have chosen him over some other men who was better looking and younger than him.

"Why did you pick me Calleigh? Why did you love me?" Her eyes went wide.

"Words can never explain why I love you Horatio. You're an easy man to love." Calleigh went into the bedroom and got changed into her overgrown T-shirt and sweatpants. She then told him to wait for her in the living room while she went into the kitchen to prepare coffee for both of them.

"Hey." Calleigh stood by the couch with two mugs of steaming coffee. She handed him one of the mugs which belonged to him. "Black. Just the way you like it." She smiled.

"Thank you." He took a sip and smiled at her. "Why'd you ask me to wait here?" She went over to one of the shelves and took an album out. She handed it to him, asking him to flip it open.

The moment he flipped it, the first photo staring at him was of him and the twins. Both the babies were laid down on his chest as he wrapped his arms around them tightly and securely. The three of them were fast asleep, peacefully. There was not a single line of wrinkle on his face. He had looked very calm and relaxed. The babies had looked contented that they were lying down on their father's chest. He flipped it again. It was another photo of him with Horatius in the nursery. He was seated on the recliner chair with Horatius snuggling into him, asleep.

He continued flipping. There was a picture of him with the twins playing. He didn't know what they were playing but the babies were very happy. They were smiling so widely and didn't seem to care about anything else except paying attention to the man in front of them. There was also a picture of Calleigh falling asleep on the floor as the twins were playing by themselves. He turned to the next page. It was the same picture except he was in it with her. She was still asleep and hadn't realized that Horatio was taking pictures of her. He was kissing her in that picture and he was looking very excited and happy. His eyes were sparkling and he could see the clear admiration and love through them.

Then there was a photo of him gagging and trying to put on a mask as he was changing the diapers for one of the twins. Beside it was a caption _'Daddy's first diaper change.'_ He smiled.

As he reached to the end of the album, Calleigh handed him a frame. It was a picture of the four of them. Calleigh was holding Horatius while he was holding on to Alayna. He had his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her head was leaning on his shoulder. They were a happy family. The smiles on their faces were genuine. A tear dropped onto the frame. It was then that it hit him. Deep inside, he did love the children. His children. He loved his family. Calleigh then handed him another album. She looked at him and waited for him to open it up. He took a deep breath and opened it up.

He looked at the photo then back at her. It was their wedding photo. Calleigh was wearing a white princess gown with a bouquet of flowers in her hand. She had looped her free arm around his and he had his head turned towards her, kissing her on her cheek. She looked beautiful even with her baby bump. She had a beautiful smile. It was the smile that he had seen earlier. She had the same glow of happiness. He was wearing a white tuxedo to match her white gown. They were happy. There were photos of them exchanging rings and also when he kissed her after being pronounced as husband and wife.

There were pictures of him kissing her baby bump and pictures of him having his ear and on her stomach, trying to feel the babies. He smiled again. He realized that he had really loved her and they were joyful. Another tear made its way and dropped onto his hand. He wanted that. He wanted what he saw on the photos. He wanted to be happy.

"There are no words that can ever explain why I love you Horatio. You're just perfect for me. You're what I wanted and needed." He slowly turned to face her. Her eyes were teary. His eyes as well.

"Could you give me another chance Calleigh?" He had made his decision. If being with her and this family was going to make him happy, then he would give everything he could to have it back. If he was once happy with her, if he was once very in love with her, then nothing could ever stop that. Nothing could ever come between their love. If he really did love her, his feelings would eventually return. He just needed to figure things out and let nature take its course. If he had felt an instant connection and even attraction to her, he could still be having feelings for her. Maybe the love for her had always been there. He just needed it to resurface and he would do anything to make it happen.

"As long as you want it, I'll give you as many chances as you need it."

"I'll try my best to be a great husband and father."

"I don't need you to be perfect Horatio. I just need you to be yourself because I love you for whoever you are. The kids will love you no matter what." Horatio smiled shyly. Calleigh put aside the albums and snuggled into him as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, bringing her close to him. She hoped this was a turning point in their lives. She hoped their lives would change for the better.

**To be continued...**

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**I hope this was worth the wait? hehehe**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N : Sorry for the long delay. No excuse could make up for it. I was lazy. And i'm really sorry. But here we go, another update. **

**Cheerios! ;)**

* * *

**-A month later-**

"Calleigh, are you sure this would be a good idea?" Horatio asked as he watched her fingers button his shirt up swiftly and quickly. She handed him his jacket and helped him with it, straightening out the lapels of the jacket.

"There you go. You look very handsome." Calleigh smiled as she cupped his face in her hands and planted a kiss on his cheek. She took in the smell of his aftershave. It was her favorite scent. "And you smell very nice." She smiled at him vibrantly.

"Calleigh, you sure about this?"

"I've never been so sure. You're going to be fine. I will guide you along if you need. But for now, you'll mostly be in the lab doing paperwork and administrative stuff."

"I don't know if I'm ready." Calleigh reached one hand out to his face and looked at him lovingly.

"Didn't we have this talk yesterday? You need to go back to the lab Horatio. You can't just stay at home. It's been more than a month."

"But I can take care of the babies." Calleigh smiled at him. She knew he was getting closer to the children and he loved taking care of them. For the past month, he had been volunteering to care for the children and he even volunteered to wake up in the middle of the night if they were to wake up. Even the babies were used to him now. Maybe not as attached as they were before but they're getting there.

"I know you love taking care of the babies…But you need to go back to the lab. You need to go back to your life. We had this talk yesterday Horatio…and you said you're going to be fine."

"I know…But…"

"Horatio, we have talked about it for the past few weeks to get yourself ready. You promised me you'll be ready this week. I know you're scared…But you have me around. You don't have to be scared. If you need me, just give me a call. I want you to trust me on this." Horatio sighed in defeat and nodded then followed her down to the kitchen to have their breakfast before they left for the lab.

Calleigh looked at her husband sitting obediently, waiting for her to serve his breakfast. She knew he was nervous to go back to the lab. He was afraid that he couldn't handle the work. He was afraid that he would mess everything up because he couldn't remember anything. She continued looking at him. His clean-shaven face looked like a terrified small boy. He kept glancing over at his watch and she noticed he was shaking his leg under the table. As she walked towards him with a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon and toast, she saw him straightening himself up over and over again. He straightened the lapel of his jacket, he did the cuffs of his shirt, he checked his shirt and did his collar.

"Horatio, you look fine. You look very handsome enough already." She said as she handed him his plate. "Oh and one more thing I forgot." Calleigh left the table as he started on his food. She went into the room to take that one missing piece to the puzzle. Once she gave it to him, confusion struck him.

"What's this for?"

"You aren't going out squinting your eyes and trying to shield your eyes from the sun are you?" Horatio frowned. "Come on Handsome. Lighten up. You're going to be alright. Trust me." Horatio turned his attention to the object in his hand. "Now...that handsome," Calleigh pointed to the object in his hand, "Is your sunglasses. I got a new pair for you. You can never go out without one. You will start squinting your eyes and shading it." He looked at her surprised. "But in all honesty, I think it's just your sense of fashion." Calleigh joked with him but he wasn't amused. "Horatio, you need to relax. Do I need to loosen you up?" Calleigh raised her eyebrows at him and smiled cheekily.

"Calleigh…I'm fine."

"Just kidding Horatio. Now come on. You'll be great. Besides, there will be a lot of people willing to help you." Calleigh offered her hand and pulled him up to his feet. As she was pulling him along, he stopped. "What's wrong?" Calleigh asked lovingly.

"You mentioned IAB…how about them? Do I have to talk to them?" It just occurred to her that she had forgotten to talk to him about it. She had talked to the chief about it and had agreed to give him some more time to recover. She had told him that Horatio's condition wouldn't get them anywhere in the case no matter how hard they tried. Horatio couldn't remember anything about what happened in New York. He was still figuring out his life. She was grateful that the IAB was forced to back off until the chief gives them the permission to continue with the interrogation. Finally, they could get a break; especially a break from Rick Stetler.

"No Handsome, you don't have to talk to them. You're gonna be just fine. Just be normal." She straightened his shirt once again and gave him another kiss on his cheek. "I love you." Calleigh tugged at his arm and pulled him across the hallway. When she professed her love to him, she knew not to put her hopes too high that he would reciprocate. She was allowing him to take it slow and let him realize his own feelings on his own. She didn't want to push him too much.

Despite the chief agreeing to give Horatio some more time, the investigation would still go on and the team was on it. They still needed to know what went on in New York. They still needed to get the sender of the letter and whoever that had been tormenting Horatio's life. While they work their way through the case and trying to trace where the letters came from, Mac Taylor and his team were helping them track Horatio's past in New York. They needed to know his past before they can track what exactly happened and why he was being chased after. Calleigh had already told Mac the truth about Horatio's past and they were looking at his past based on the new facts that were given to them.

* * *

**-FLASHBACK-**

"Calleigh, you've got to tell me about Horatio. I can't go on with the case if you don't tell me the truth about him." Mac pushed harder. He was looking very pissed that Calleigh didn't want to tell him anything on Horatio's past. Even though they were just talking through a screen, Calleigh could sense his anger and she could see him tensing up.

"Mac, I told you. I don't know anything."

"Look Calleigh. If I don't get the truth from you, there is no way I'm ever going to get anything on this guy. At least give me Horatio's real name. Or the name he used when he was working in NYPD." Calleigh's eyes widened when Mac mentioned about Horatio's real identity. "Yes Calleigh. I know. My team was looking for Horatio Caine but there was no record of him. At all. So, do you mind telling me the truth now?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Okay. He was Kelly. Detective John Kelly. I don't know his badge number or the precinct he worked at. Neither do I know what happened there. He never tells me anything about it. He didn't want to remember it." Mac nodded.

"That's all I need. Thank you." Mac then disconnected their call and called his team for a meeting. They needed to start finding everything on John Kelly.

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

* * *

Once they arrived at the lab, Calleigh went to show him his office where he would be spending most of his time doing paperwork. She was glad that the ballistic lab was just opposite his office. She could keep a look out on him and check on him once a while.

"Promise me if Stetler comes looking for you or any IAB people comes, you call me straight away. And don't speak to them." Horatio nodded and took a seat in his office. When Calleigh left, he sat there, looking around in the office, trying to absorb the feeling. He was trying to remember anything about the office and he was also trying to remember anything that could be related to his accident. He looked around again, looking for any sense of familiarity but there was none. He sighed.

Calleigh on the other hand, was looking at him from the ballistic lab and she saw the frown on his face. He had his head down and was pinching the bridge of his nose. She knew he was trying to remember something but failed. She knew that look on his face. She had seen it a few times at home when he was trying his very best to remember anything at all. She recalled the time when he had a nightmare and it was not a pretty sight.

* * *

**-FLASHBACK-**

He was sweating all over despite the air-conditioning and he was thrashing about under the blanket. He was shaking violently. He kept murmuring apologies and he kept on begging not to be hurt anymore. Calleigh had tried to wake him up but it failed. He was too deep in his sleep and she couldn't bring him out of his nightmare. It hurt her to see him like that. She wanted so badly to help him. She kept trying to wake him up but he just wouldn't. He wouldn't stop thrashing about violently and he wouldn't stop whimpering and murmuring. Even in his sleep, Calleigh could see the tears running down his cheeks. As a last resort, Calleigh had to go to the bathroom to get a glass of water and had it splashed onto his face, waking him up in an instance. He jerked up immediately. The moment he woke up, Calleigh lunged forward, took him into her embrace, and held him there until he stopped sobbing.

"You're alright. You're safe Horatio. No one is going to hurt you." She whispered in his ears as he rubbed his back gently.

"I'm afraid Calleigh. I tried to run but I couldn't. He kept on chasing me. He kept on hurting me. I wanted to run away but he kept finding me." He said in between his sobs.

"Horatio, no one is going to hurt you. I'm here and no one can hurt you."

"He's everywhere." He cried into her shirt.

"I know handsome. I know. But he's not here. He's gone. I will never allow him to come near you or hurt you. You're safe with me." Calleigh knew what his nightmares were about. And even if she knew that his father was long gone and dead, there was no other way to convince him. She had to talk to Horatio about his past. About his childhood and about his father. Horatio needed a closure and he needs to stop having the nightmares. It was costing him his rest. Once she felt him relax into her, she laid him down on the bed and continued holding him until she heard his breathings steadied.

The day after the nightmare was bad enough for her and for him. Horatio had kept his distance and he was giving silent treatment. He didn't want to talk about his nightmare at all. He spent most of his day outside, alone and she could see from the look on his face that he was trying so hard to put that memory in place. He even flinched at her touches. He did not volunteer to care for the babies either. It was painful for her to watch her husband suffering in silence.

"Horatio, I need you to talk to me. You can trust me."

"I can't Calleigh. It hurts. I don't want to remember it." Calleigh reached out to him and he flinched.

"I'm not going to hurt you Horatio. I'm here to help you."

"No…you can't help me. No one can. He will still find me." Despite knowing that he was talking about his father, Calleigh still pushed for an answer.

"Who's still finding you?"

"I don't know. He kept chasing me. They kept chasing me. They kept on hurting me." Confused, Calleigh frowned. He had mentioned 'they'; not just him. Her guess was wrong.

"How do they look like Horatio?" Horatio frowned and shook his head, refusing to answer her question. "Horatio, you have to tell me. It's important for us all." He shook his head once again but after being persuaded once more, he gave in.

Horatio had described to her two different men and the first that he described had fitted his father very well. Red-headed, medium built and had a very bad temper. The other man on the other hand, was big and tall. He was gruff and he had a very muscular body. Both were chasing him except they had different objects in their hands. The first man had a belt while the other had a gun. This confirmed her suspicion about the first man. What she didn't understand was the other description of another man.

"What else do you remember Horatio?" She pushed him a little bit more.

"They both speak a foreign language. I've heard it somewhere but I can't remember." Horatio closed his eyes as he tried to remember. It suddenly struck her mind that Horatio was fluent in Spanish and if the first man he described was his father, then the foreign language they spoke was possibly Spanish. She was getting somewhere with this.

"Is it Spanish?" Horatio frowned as he tried harder to remember it and he finally nodded.

"I think it is." Calleigh nodded and smiled at him.

"I think that was a good start wasn't it?"

"Who was that man Calleigh? The one who chased me with a belt. I've seen him. I know him and I was so afraid of him. I couldn't run away. He even dragged me out and kept on hitting me until I was limp. I was so scared." Calleigh teared up at his confessions.

She reached out to him and rubbed on his arm gently. Slowly, she moved her hand under his shirt and she felt him tense up when she touched his scars on his skin. She looked at him and she saw fear and insecurities in his eyes. "Trust me?" Horatio nodded and she felt him relax under her touch. "These are the scars from when you were a kid. You shouldn't have to suffer the pain. He wasn't supposed to hurt you. He was supposed to protect you."

"He was my father." Horatio choked on his words as tears fell. Calleigh nodded and hugged him tight.

"It's okay Horatio. It's over. He's not coming back." Calleigh felt the dampness on her shirt. He was crying. She knew this was tough on him and she let him be. As much as he tried to stay strong, the trauma had taken a toll on him. "You're safe with me Horatio. You're safe."

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

* * *

Recalling the nightmare he had, Calleigh could not help but worry for him. Although she knew that he had gotten a closure and the nightmares were less frequent, she knew that he was still trying to figure out the other man in his dreams. She herself could not figure out the man in the dreams. She just hoped that the team and Mac's team would get something that could lead them somewhere. She needed answers.

"Calleigh." She jumped at the voice that called out to her and the file fell from her hands. She immediately turned around to find Frank standing behind her. He picked the file for her and handed it back to her. "Sorry." Calleigh nodded. "I need to talk to you."

"What about? Can it wait? I need to finish analyzing these bullets. They're being put to rush."

"I'm afraid it can't wait. It's about Horatio. About the whole accident. I know everything."

**To be continued...**

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**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Previously**

"I'm afraid it can't wait. It's about Horatio. About the whole accident. I know everything."

* * *

Calleigh's eyes widened. "Excuse me what? You knew about the accident but you never mentioned it to us? Oh my god Frank. Do you know what you're doing? All these while, we're trying so hard looking for evidence and trying to figure out what happened in New York when you had all the answers?" Calleigh raised her voice.

"Calleigh I'm sorry. This is entirely my fault."

"Now out with it Francis."

"Hermanos Españoles. That was the gang that he worked for when he was held hostage. He said something about having to rebuild their organization because he destroyed them when he was working with the NYPD." Calleigh looked at Frank. Her mind was flooded with questions and Frank could see it in her eyes. "I heard he had to formulate drugs for their business or they would kill the family. They had been tracking you and that was why Horatio had no other choice. They even made him wear the wire when he visited you in the hospital." He paused. "He made the plan to blow up the warehouse to destroy them once and for all."

"Who else knew?"

"Mac." Calleigh frowned. "I'm sorry Calleigh."

"Wait. You're telling me you guys were into it and you never bothered telling any of us? Why would Mac even ask about his real identity!" Calleigh almost screamed at Frank.

"Mac doesn't know about his real identity. He only knew about Horatio's plans. He never knew about Hermanos Españoles. And Horatio never mentioned the name of the people in that organization. We made a deal. Horatio doesn't know that Mac knows. He was just there to ensure his safety." Calleigh glared menacingly. "So now we're still back to square one." Calleigh shook her head unbelievably. "I'm sorry."

"No Francis. I think that helped. Hermanos Españoles. We can work with that and work backwards." Frank looked at her skeptically but decided that she knew what she was doing and he just nodded.

"By the way Cal, Horatio in the lab…you think that's a good idea?" Calleigh glared at him. He knew he had asked the wrong question but he wanted answers. Surely the Chief hadn't allowed Horatio to come back willingly. Calleigh gave no answer. She just stared at him continuously which made him realize that she would never give an answer to his question.

* * *

**-FLASHBACK-**

Calleigh knocked on the door and entered the room. Eyes were on her as soon as she entered. They had been waiting for her. She had called up the Chief to talk about Horatio's condition and she wanted to appeal so that Horatio could be allowed to go back to the lab. She even asked for Rick Stetler to be there. She wanted Rick to be off Horatio's back. In fact, she wanted him to be off their backs. She knew this was against protocol but she needed to do it. She wanted to help Horatio and if bringing him back to the lab could help him, she would fight for it. Both men acknowledged her and motioned for her to take a seat. Once she took a seat in opposite both men, she took in a deep breath before starting to talk.

"I'm here to talk about Lieutenant Caine." The chief nodded while Rick continued looking at her showing no reaction at all. She sensed that this talk was not going to be an easy one. Not especially when Rick was there. "I want him to come back to the lab." The chief had a look of shock on his face and Rick looked furious.

"Detective Duquesne." The chief leaned forward with his hands clutched together.

"It's Caine. Detective Caine." Calleigh corrected.

"My mistake. I can't allow that Detective Caine. How do you expect him to come back to the lab when he cannot remember anything. As a detective, I would have thought that you know the protocols."

"He's the finest Lieutenant you can ever have." Calleigh retorted.

"Oh yeah Detective? As far as I am concerned, he went to New York on a case without consulting the department. And not to mention he went undercover without official authorization. Can you describe that as fine? I don't think so Detective." Rick interrupted.

Calleigh was dumbfounded. She didn't know how Rick had known about it. The chief now had his attention focused on Rick, wanting him to explain what was going on. Calleigh looked over at Rick and she was secretly praying that he didn't know the whole story but it was pointless. If Rick had known that Horatio had gone undercover, he would have known everything else. She saw the smirk on his face and the only thing she wanted to do was give him a tight slap.

"Detective, care to explain what went on?" The chief now turned to Calleigh instead of Rick. It suddenly dawned upon her that Horatio had lied to her. He never reported to the chief. She was speechless. Now what was she supposed to tell the chief. How was she supposed to answer him. Horatio never made an official request to head over to New York and neither was the case official. If Calleigh were to tell the truth, every each of the team member was in serious trouble. They were hiding vital information and they were involved in hiding the real truth. She saw the look on Rick's face and she knew he knew things that she doesn't.

"Detective."

"Sir, I know that was against protocol but…" She paused. The chief looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "He was caught in a difficult situation."

"Difficult situation or not, protocol is protocol and I don't care what you want to say, he's not coming back." Calleigh could've sworn that she saw a smirk on Rick's face. The chief then went back to his table, leaving Calleigh seated on the couch.

"Sir, Lieutenant Horatio Caine is still the same man! He may not remember stuff but I swear he is still the same man who thirsts for justice. He was left with no options. He was threatened. His family was threatened." Calleigh raised her voice and she stood up, walking towards the chief. "Right now, I'm not speaking as Detective Caine but as Mrs. Caine; his wife and the mother of his two children. Our family was threatened and the only thing he wanted to do was be a good husband and a good father. He wanted to protect us." Tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"Oh come on Calleigh." Rick interrupted. "We all know he's not as innocent as you're telling us."

"You shut up Rick. You're in no position to say anything like that. You don't even know Horatio. All these while, you only want to bring him down." Calleigh blared.

"Both of you, calm down. And Sergeant Stetler, please leave. I will talk to you later." Rick rolled his eyes at Calleigh. Despite his unwillingness to leave the room, Rick was left with no options when the chief gave him a fierce glare. "Detective, have a seat." He directed to the chair across his desk. Calleigh settled down and wiped the tears in her eyes. Calming herself down, she apologized to the chief for her inappropriate behavior. "Detective, I understand your concern for Lieutenant Caine but when both of you came to me to seek for approval for your relationship, I warned the both of you not to involve your emotions in any case. This included."

"But sir, I just want him to come back to the lab."

"You know I cannot do that. He can't remember anything. What do you expect him to do here? How is he supposed to carry out his duty?"

"You can put him on administrative duties. Just let him be here at the lab. There could be a chance that being here in the lab could jog his memory." Calleigh looked at the chief hopefully. "Please sir. I know I'm not supposed to bring in my personal emotions in this but I really love him and I can't lose him to this. I just need you to trust me. Just this once." He looked at her skeptically but at the same time he understood her concern. Horatio Caine was afterall her husband and no matter what anybody says to her, she would still fight for him. He also knew how long they were in love before they decided to approach him for approval and he knew that no matter how hard he tries to separate them or get in their way, they would fight for each other. Their love was true love.

He sighed out loud. "Alright. I will allow it but make sure he doesn't go out to the field or be in any of the labs. He better stay in his office." Calleigh smiled. "Don't be too happy yet Detective. I want you to be the one supervising him and no one else. If I catch anyone else doing his work, that's it." She nodded. "And one more thing. One mistake and he's out. Understood?" She nodded again. As she was about to leave his office, the chief spoke up. "I will stop by your lab one of these days for a meeting about the incident and I want full co-operation and honesty. I will get IAB off the case for your sake and his. Sergeant Stetler will stop coming after you."

"Understood Sir." With that, Calleigh left the office with a much lighter heart. Horatio was allowed to come back to the lab even though he was only allowed in his office. On the way out, she bumped into Rick Stetler who have been waiting for her outside. He was pacing up and down, looking very angry.

"Don't think I will let everything go away Calleigh. He may be the finest Lieutenant but he made a mistake. I'm watching him and your team. Whatever you're doing, don't think you'll ever get away with it." Rick leaned into her and spoke in a warning tone. Calleigh glared at him and left him. Rick Stetler has declared war on them and she knew they would have to watch their backs. She would need to call the team for a meeting to warn them about Rick. She knew that even though the chief said that he would get Rick off their backs, it wasn't for long. Rick would still go after them; especially Horatio.

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

* * *

Calleigh heard a loud bang. Frank had accidentally slammed the door on his way out. He mouthed his apologies and left. Once Frank left the ballistic lab, she immediately went to the AV lab and made a video call to the New York Crime Lab to speak to Mac. When they were connected, Calleigh had a look that could pierce through the screen. She was mad. She was furious. Mac had acted as if nothing has happened and as if he doesn't know anything. Judging by the background on the screen, Calleigh knew that Mac was in his office, alone. Mac focused on her. She had a cold look on her face and he could feel the tension despite being miles apart.

"Morning Calleigh. This is a surprise. Is there anything I can help you with?" Mac asked as he put aside his case files.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew about Horatio's accident?" Mac's demeanor suddenly changed. He became serious as he leaned a little bit further into his chair. He took in a deep breath as he looked at Calleigh through the screen. "You knew about it. Frank knew about it but you kept quiet. It could've helped Mac! We could've found the people who did it!"

"Calleigh..I only knew about the plan Horatio had in mind. Nothing else." Calleigh looked around the lab and made sure there was no one there before she spoke up.

"You knew about his plans but you never did anything Mac! You let him do it!" Now Mac felt guilty over his actions. He shouldn't have let Horatio execute his plans but he knew that if Horatio hadn't, then his family might die. Mac didn't want that. Besides, he never expected it to turn out badly. He thought Horatio would have had time to escape.

"I didn't expect it to turn out this way Calleigh. He just wanted one thing. He just wanted to protect you and the children. I was never in the plan. But I take responsibility over it. I kept quiet and let him do it. But Calleigh, I am doing my best. My team has already got the results from the blast."

"There isn't much you can do with that Mac. They're gone and we can't get answers from them. Frank mentioned Hermanos Españoles."

"I know. He mentioned it to me Calleigh." Mac sighed. She knew that look on his face. He had the same look as when he came over to her place with Eric to tell her that Horatio was missing. She sensed he had bad news to tell her.

"Out with it Mac. No more secrets."

"I can't find any reports on John Kelly. No employment history. Nothing. My team is working on Hermanos Españoles but there were no records of them either. It was like somebody knew we're after them and they're cleaning after themselves."

"Wait what?" Calleigh almost lost her balance when she heard what Mac just told her and she had to grab the nearest chair. She had to calm herself down.

There were no reports on John Kelly. Neither was there any on Hermanos Españoles. That could only mean one thing. They could never get to the bottom of it and they might never get the person trying to destroy their lives. Horatio's plan to blast the warehouse was a complete failure. It was a waste. Everyone is dead and they couldn't get any answers from anyone. They were left with nothing and they were technically back to square one. Their lives were still in danger and especially if they knew Horatio was still alive, they were in much deeper trouble.

Calleigh clicked to end the call without saying anything else to Mac. She leaned forward and held her head in her palms. She was tired of chasing this man. She was tired of this case. She was tired of having to keep looking for new leads and evidence then losing it in matter of seconds. She was getting worried. Soon, she would have to explain everything to the chief and she had already made a promise to him that she and the team would co-operate. With no evidence and record of John Kelly, she knew the case wouldn't stand. They only had the letters but nothing else. Even if they used the blast to explain the situation, Horatio would still look like the bad guy. He killed those men in the warehouse and they had no evidence that the men had lured him there to do their dirty work. They were on the losing end.

**To be continued...**

**Can I get reviews on what you think of this chapter? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**

**If any of you are waiting for Close Call, I'll update it soon :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I made a cover for this story and I hope you liked it :)**

**Previously**

He killed those men in the warehouse and they had no evidence that the men had lured him there to do their dirty work. They were on the losing end.

* * *

Calleigh called the whole team down except for Horatio to the conference room. The chief had informed her that he was coming down to get the full information on the case. They made a deal. The chief had agreed to let Horatio work in his office in exchange for information. Once they were all gathered in the room, Calleigh gave them a briefing on what was going on and what will go on during the discussion. They would inform the chief about the case and the progress of the case. They all agreed. However, neither of them knew that Calleigh was hiding something from them. There was no lead on the case. They were literally stuck. With nothing on Horatio's past and nothing on Hermanos Españoles, they couldn't move on with the case.

"Just remember, don't tell the chief you knew about what he was doing. He only went on a personal business and neither of you knew about it. Got it?" All of them nodded.

"Wait Cal, if we don't know what went on, how is it that we are on the case?" Ryan spoke up.

"Wolfe come on. We're only handling the evidences. And the case to get to the real truth. We don't know the truth. Only Horatio does."

"Right. Sorry Cal. Gotcha now." Ryan glanced over Calleigh's shoulder and saw the chief making his way into the conference room. "He's here."

"Alright people. We got this." Calleigh muttered under her breath.

When the chief entered the room, everyone went silence and neither of them made a single sound until the chief began.

"You know why I'm here. Bring out the case file. I want to know every single thing. Whatever you've got on the case." They nodded and each of them, holding a file, placed them on the table. "Oh by the way, where is Lieutenant Caine?" All of them turned to look at Calleigh, waiting for an answer.

"He's in his office. I've given him some paperwork to complete." The chief nodded.

Calleigh started the ball rolling. She began explaining the events sequentially. She began with the letters. She laid all the letters on the table and explained that every each of the letters were sent to Horatio personally through the lab and that there were no traces or evidences that could link it to sender. There were no return address on the letter and there were no leads on the sender. She even explained that even the receptionist had no idea who sent it. The letters were left on the reception desk for her to find and to deliver to Horatio. Even the cameras could not detect any images of the sender. The person was very careful not to get caught.

Eric was next. He explained about the kidnapping that happened. As soon as he started explaining, he gave Calleigh a quick look. She had a pained look on her face. Calleigh caught him looking and she silently nodded, telling him to continue. Eric continued talking; explaining the situation during the kidnapping and told the chief that they could not find any traces. Eric however, had some news. The bomb used on Calleigh had signatures on it. However, they couldn't connect it to any bombers. They were technically back to square one.

"So you're telling me you have nothing on this guy?" The team nodded solemnly. "How about the New York counterpart? Have they got anything?"

"They've got a lead on the people that got Horatio into this situation."

"Calleigh. Let me." Frank interrupted all of a sudden as he entered the conference room without anyone noticing him.

"Sergeant Tripp. What have you got for us?"

"The rest may not know this but I knew what happened. Horatio told me about it. He informed me of his plans. I never told anyone until today." Calleigh looked at him questioningly but he ignored. "I'm sorry but I had to protect him." Frank paused for a moment, sorting out his thoughts. "But I guess I can't keep it with me anymore…On the day he came back to see Calleigh in the hospital, he told me everything." Everyone in the room had their eyes wide opened. "Yes. He came back. Not the point."

"What did he tell you?"

"He told me of the plans. Hermanos Españoles was the name of the organization. He was threatened to rebuild their organization after busting them 20 years ago. If he didn't do as they say, they would get to Calleigh and the children. And believe me, they have. Once. And that was why I agreed to keep it a secret." He turned to Calleigh. "I'm sorry Cal. But the Hermanos Españoles have been surveilling you and the children. They did get to you but Horatio made sure they didn't hurt you."Calleigh was stunned. She never knew about this until Frank confessed.

"His first task was to cook the drugs for them before they moved on to other tasks which were not yet disclosed. Horatio had a plan in mind to destroy the warehouse and blow the whole place up by overheating the chemicals… He was supposed to get out of that warehouse before it blew up. We don't know what happened in there that stopped him from escaping. We were there when the explosion happened. That was why we managed to get him out on time."

"So let me get this straight. You of all people, were somehow involved in this but never came forward?" Frank nodded remorsefully. "What about the rest of this team?"

"They know nothing sir." Calleigh stepped up and defended them. "They're just helping with the case."

"So now what do you expect me to do? You have broken probably all protocols. Especially Horatio. What the hell was he even thinking?" Calleigh and Frank both hung their heads in shame. "It has been brought to my attention about the integrity of this lab. Of this team particularly." The rest of them immediately turned towards the chief. Eric almost wanted to speak up when Calleigh beat him to it.

"The team has got nothing to do with it. If anything, it was me and Horatio. We put them in this situation. And if you're going to suspend the team, or even fire us, please…They're not involved. Let them keep their jobs. I am willing to hand in my resignation letter right now." The chief shook his head.

"It's not about that. I don't want to fire any of you. I know you all are good CSIs and you are good at what you do. My only concern is, can I trust all of you? Can I trust the team of your integrity?" This time, Eric spoke up.

"Rest assured nothing will change. You can still trust our integrity. But may I ask a favor, please let us work on this case. Horatio have always had our backs and he was always there for us when we needed him. Right now, he needs us and we won't back down. We will be there for him."

The whole conference room was silent. Neither of them said anything after Eric stood up for Horatio. The chief looked at them one by one; as if analyzing and trying to read what was going on in their minds. In the end, he sighed and relented. He did not suspend not terminate any of them. He even allowed the team to work on the case. He took a final look at the case files and before he left, he reminded every single one of them that he wanted to be the first to know if there were any updates. They all agreed. Once he left, Calleigh sighed in relief. She was relieved that none of them was dismissed and that they were still able to work on it. The only thing that worried her was that she still hasn't told them that the New York counterpart has got nothing on Hermanos Españoles or on Horatio's past. Just as Calleigh straightened herself up and started talking to the rest, the chief popped in again.

"Oh and Detective Caine, you are to attend a ballistics conference in New York next week. It was a last minute thing. Someone else from the night shift was supposed to attend it but he couldn't make it. You're taking over." Calleigh cursed under her breath and as she opened her mouth to speak, the chief interrupted. "No buts." Calleigh sighed and resigned to her fate.

She couldn't send anyone else. The chief gave her no choice at all. She was worried about Horatio. If she were to be gone for a week, how was he supposed to cope with the children alone? He was just getting acquainted with them. Although it had been a month, she was still worried about him. All these time, she was there to help him if he needed it. Besides, she didn't know when he would have a memory relapse and she was worried if he were to have it at home where no one was there to help him. She sighed again and continued packing the letters into the envelope.

"They've got nothing." She muttered under her breath. Neither of them heard except for Frank.

"What did you say Cal?" Frank asked, bringing the attention of the team.

"Mac has got nothing. Nothing on his past. Nothing on Hermanos Españoles. We've got nothing Francis." Calleigh sobbed and Frank, being a great friend, pulled her into him and held her there, waiting for her to calm down. He rubbed her back gently, waiting patiently. Once she calmed down, she pulled away from the big man and wiped her tears. "Sorry Francis. And thank you. I think I needed that." He nodded.

Calleigh pulled herself together and chided herself. She needed to be strong. Yet she realized that she wasn't as strong as she thought she was but she knew she had to be. She had to focus on Horatio and their children especially. It was her turn to save her family. Horatio had done enough. He saved their lives by putting his in danger. He even almost lost his life while trying to save theirs. She took a deep breath.

"Guys, before I leave next week, can we have a birthday celebration for Horatio? His birthday falls on the coming Friday but I was thinking we have the celebration on Saturday? Just a small celebration…we all know Horatio doesn't like parties." They nodded.

"We'll be there."

Calleigh sorted out the plans with Natalia. It wouldn't be a party per se. It would just be a small celebration where they can all gather as a team and reunite as a family. It had been a very long time that they came together in their own time. Besides, Horatio needed some time to get to know the team. She needed him to get closer to them after what had happened. Calleigh suggested a barbeque where they can all be together, chatting away while Natalia suggested a movie night after the barbeque. Everything sounded good. That way, they can spend quality time together without being too extravagant about the birthday celebration. It would be casual; just the way Horatio would prefer. That was until Frank came in and suggested poker for the boys. Calleigh frowned and looked at him skeptically.

"Come on Cal. You don't expect us to sit with you guys while you're enjoying some chick flicks do you?"

"Why not?" Frank, Eric and Ryan jeered at the same time. "Come on guys. We're supposed to spend some time together. It's not spending time together if the ladies are watching movies and you guys play poker. That's not fun at all."

"Okay how about this. We play first then we watch the movie? Fair?" Calleigh thought about it. Maybe they were right. The men need their activities too.

"Okay deal." The boys cheered and Calleigh just shook her head.

Unnoticed by the team, Rick Stetler was watching them from afar. He knew everything about Horatio. His past, his career, his family, everything. His efforts going to all kinds of trouble did not go to waste. Doing the investigation on his own was indeed a tough one but with the help of some people who still bore grudges against the man whom they knew as John Kelly. He was getting closer to Horatio. He was getting really close. He was going to make sure Horatio was going down for this one. The moment had arrived for Sergeant Rick Stetler to hold position as Lieutenant Rick Stetler. He had been waiting for this moment but he knew he couldn't make it obvious. He needed Horatio to suffer. He needed to make sure he wasn't caught and he needed to make sure that Horatio learnt his lessons.

**To be continued...**

**Can I get reviews on what you think of this chapter? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Thanks for all the positive reviews. I hope you enjoy the next one ;)**

* * *

"Horatio you ready yet?"

"Yes. Hold on a minute. I'll be out soon." With that, Horatio appeared at the door, still buttoning the last button on his shirt. Calleigh stepped up towards him and did his collar properly as he wore his watch on his wrist.

"Calleigh, do you really have to leave?" She looked up at him and looked straight into his sapphire eyes. Cupping his face in her hands, she gave him a light peck on his lips.

"I'm sorry handsome but I have to. I was given no choice at all." Horatio sighed. "Shall we? We've got a lot to buy."

"This isn't just a gathering is it?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "It's April 7th Calleigh. I know the dates." Calleigh chuckled.

"Well then Handsome. I guess it's not going to make much difference is it? It's not going to be a party. I promise. I know you don't like parties."

Horatio smiled slightly and nodded. He couldn't say anything to object to the idea. Calleigh had made it clear to him that it was not going to be a party and he had agreed to it. When he had agreed to it, it didn't cross his mind that it was on his birthday. He had fallen into her trap. Calleigh had asked him when he was half-asleep and he couldn't be bothered to listen to it. Instead, he just nodded without being fully aware of what she was talking about. That was a lesson learnt for him. Unfortunately for him, he has to follow Calleigh to buy the stuff needed for the gathering later on. He was not too excited about it. Calleigh on the other hand, was excited for the night. Even though she was disheartened that she has to leave for New York in a few days, she was still looking forward to the gathering. It has been a while that the team had a gathering.

She was excited to go grocery shopping with Horatio. She missed going grocery shopping with Horatio. She missed the arguments they would have every time they go grocery shopping together. She missed arguing with him over which breakfast cereal they should buy and arguing over the grocery bags because Horatio being Horatio, would never allow his wife to carry the bags. He was always the superman.

Both made their way to the nursery and picked the children from their cribs then headed down to the car after grabbing their baby supply bag. Since Horatio wasn't allowed to drive, he had to be the one sitting behind with the children. Horatio placed Alayna on the other end of the car, in the baby seat and went in himself with Horatius in his arms before allowing Calleigh to place the other baby seat on his right. When Horatio placed his son onto the baby seat, Horatius started to whimper lightly. Horatio sighed. His son just can't seem to separate from him; not even when Horatio was there by his side. His son only wants to be held by him.

Calleigh who was already settled down in the driver's seat, looked over to Horatio through the mirror, smiled widely. She was glad that their family was back to normal. Horatius was back to being attached to his father and even though Horatio still couldn't remember much, she knew things were going well. She knew that Horatio was back. They just needed some more time to adjust. Horatio was still adapting to being a father and a husband but so far, he was doing well. Nevertheless, Calleigh still needed to do a lot of reminding to help him retrieve his memory back.

"You have to sit in there Horatius. It's not safe for you to sit with me. We're going to reach soon as long as mummy stops staring and starts driving." Horatio said gently to his son as he fastened the seatbelt on the baby seat. Horatio looked up at her and smiled. "Are we going to stay in the car the whole time?" Calleigh smirked and rolled her eyes at him.

"We'll be there soon." Calleigh replied.

Once they arrived, Horatio pulled out the twin stroller for the kids and Calleigh made her way to take one of the trolleys. Their first stop was to get ribs for the barbeque and some other meat as well. Calleigh had asked the team what they would prefer to have for the barbeque and most of them wanted ribs. After getting the meat, Calleigh turned to ask Horatio what he wanted to get but to her surprise, Horatio, along with Alayna and Horatius was nowhere in sight. Calleigh panicked. She looked around but they were not there. She took out her phone and started dialing for Horatio. To her dismay, Horatio had asked her to keep his cellphone for him. She feared for the worse. But thinking again, a kidnapper wouldn't just kidnap him and the children in plain sight. Then again, a kidnapper would do anything. Horatio may not even have the chance to call for help. All kinds of possibilities ran through her mind. The same man who tried to kill their family could kidnap Horatio and this time he would do it for real and kill Horatio and the children. What if that really happened? She couldn't lose her family again. She couldn't lose Horatio. She couldn't lose her children.

"Calleigh…" In an instant, she turned and saw the love of her life, Horatio. He saw her panic-stricken face and had no idea what happened. Before he could ask her, she lunged forward and hugged him so tight that he couldn't breathe. "Calleigh what is going on?" He managed despite the difficulties. Calleigh broke away from him and went to her children, wrapping her arms around them and kissing them all over. "Calleigh what's going on?"

"Don't you dare do that again to me."

Horatio being so confused over what happened, asked her again. "Calleigh what happened?"

"Where did you go?"

"Went to look for something for them." Horatio held up the bag of biscuits in his hand and Calleigh smiled. "You were taking too long and it was their feeding time so I went to get something for them first." Calleigh looked at her watch. She had only spent 15 minutes picking the meat. She had known Horatio was never a fan of grocery shopping; especially the ones where they need to prepare for a party or special occasion. On another note, she was pleased to see Horatio being a responsible father. No one could ever replace him.

"But I've prepared their food."

"It's going to take a while before we stop to feed them. Besides, we just arrived." Calleigh couldn't argue more. He was right. She looked at what Horatio had bought for them and it wasn't the usual biscuit that she always bought. It was an animal biscuit. "New biscuits." Horatio mentioned nonchalantly. "They're always eating the same thing Calleigh. Time for a change." Horatio opened the bag and gave his children a biscuit each. Their face brightened up when Horatio handed them food. At such young age, they were such good eaters. Both children seemed content with the new biscuit that their father had bought for them. In fact, they had finished eating the biscuit in hand when Calleigh walked towards the sauces aisle. Horatio followed his wife diligently to every aisle and every stop and when Calleigh started walking towards the cashier, he sighed in relief.

"Mummy's finally done." He knelt down in front of his children and whispered as he handed the last biscuits to them. Before Calleigh managed to reach the counter, Horatio dumped a few bags of the animal biscuits into the trolley and he got a glare from his wife.

"Is this for you or for them?" Calleigh asked sarcastically but he didn't respond. Instead, he just walked away. Calleigh shook her head. No matter what happened to Horatio, he still pampered his children. Just the other day, Horatio had bought them toys and even though she had stopped him, he never stopped. She knew that in the matter of the children, she was at a loss. After she made the payment, she pushed the trolley towards Horatio who was seated on the bench.

"Stay here." Horatio said and left. Minutes passed and he returned with two cones of ice-cream and Calleigh smiled. He remembered. He remembered that she loved ice-cream. She looked at him with eyes filled with admiration towards him. He handed her one of the cones and sat beside her.

"You remembered."

"Remembered what Calleigh?"

"That I love ice-cream. Everytime after grocery shopping, you would get me an ice-cream. You remembered that." Horatio was confused but at the same time, he was amazed. He didn't know where he had gotten the idea to get them the ice-cream but there was just something inside him that urged him to get it. He didn't know what or why but now he knew. His brain was programmed to pamper and love the woman beside him. Seeing that his son was looking at them enjoying the ice-cream, Horatio took the small spoon that was impaled into the ice-cream and scooped a little of it, then feeding it to him. The boy smiled and pure happiness radiated through his eyes. When Alayna showed her interest in the ice-cream, it was Calleigh who fed her. She wouldn't possibly let Horatio feed both the children his ice-cream.

"Now it looks they won't be eating the food I prepare will they…" She turned to look at her husband. "Biscuits..ice-cream..they must be full now." Horatio grinned sheepishly. He had fed his children with junk food instead of the proper food that Calleigh had prepared. As Calleigh stood up to push the trolley, Horatio stopped her.

"Let me. You push them." Knowing that there was no way she could argue with him, she let him push the trolley while she pushed the stroller.

Once they made it home, Calleigh and Horatio argued over carrying the bags into the house. Horatio did not allow Calleigh to carry anything. Instead, he insisted that he carry them alone while Calleigh carried the children inside. Calleigh didn't want to argue. She would lose the argument no matter what. Calleigh went ahead to start preparing for tonight while Horatio was tasked to keep an eye on the children. As much as she wanted Horatio to help her like the old times, the children needed someone to look after them. Horatius and Alayna were starting to pull themselves up on their feet and trying to take their first few steps by holding onto the bars of the playpen.

As Calleigh prepared for the night, Horatio was in the living room entertaining his children who were trying to grab to the bars of the playpen but failed. Horatio screamed for his wife. They were about to watch their children's first steps. Calleigh rushed to Horatio's side and watched them trying to stand. Horatius grabbed the bars and pulled himself up but slipped and fell. Calleigh had to suppress her laughter because she didn't want her son to be demotivated. Instead, she cheered on him. Alayna on the other hand, grabbed onto the bars and managed to take a step to the side. They both cheered. They were both so proud of them.

"Horatio we didn't record their first step." Calleigh sighed.

"That's okay. We'll get it when they start walking without holding on to anything." She considered that and agreed it made sense.

"I'll go prepare the stuff okay. They're coming in an hour. By the way, can you set up the barbeque set later when I'm done?" Horatio nodded and Calleigh went on to prepare the food.

Horatio stayed with his children, keeping an eye on them while watching the television. Horatius started to sob when he couldn't take a step and kept slipping as he tried to stand up. Horatio chuckled at his son.

"Come here young man." Horatio picked his son up and lifted him up in the air, spinning him around. Upon hearing his son giggling, he stopped. "Now you can't give up that easily Horatius. Be like your sister. Be a strong boy and keep trying." After a month or more of taking care of his children, he realized that his daughter was much more stronger and more determined than his son. Horatius was more on the softer side. He was more of the baby. His daughter on the other hand, was more quiet but very strong; not physically but emotionally and mentally. No doubt that she was the older one between them, but they were only 5 minutes apart.

Horatio placed Horatius on his feet while holding on to his hands and let him take a step forward. It did not exactly work. Horatius, instead of walking forward, he lifted his feet up, expecting his father to carry him. Upon many attempts, it still did not work out. In the end, Horatius started crying and Horatio had to stop. Horatius was very spoiled and pampered.

"You can't do this buddy. You have to try to do it on your own. You're a boy and you have to be strong like your sister." Horatio held his son to his chest and allowed him to rest his head on the crook of his neck as he rocked him gently. When he calmed down, Horatio went to pick his daughter up with his free hand and brought them both up to the nursery. Horatio needed them to be asleep so that he could help his wife with the preparation.

"Come on you two. Time for milk and nappy time." Horatio snuggled them both and kissed them before placing each of them in their own cribs. Since their cribs were next to each other, Horatio took the chair, sat in the middle between the cribs, and fed them their milk. He knew that he didn't need to hold the bottles for them but he just needed to make sure they were asleep. Once they had fallen asleep, Horatio made his way down to meet his wife.

As he stood there by the door, he watched Calleigh moving around gracefully in her apron. Her hair was tied up into a bun and her hands were covered in marinade sauce. Everything was laid out on the table neatly. From ribs to chicken, to even the salad that she was preparing. His wife was so organized. It wasn't anything new that his wife was organized but he was impressed with her. She reminded him of someone. Someone who was close to him but he couldn't remember who.

"Handsome are you going to stand there until someone comes knocking on the door or are you gonna lend me a helping hand?" Calleigh said while her eyes were focusing on the food in front of her. She received no response.

Horatio stood there quietly. He was trying to recall that particular someone. Calleigh reminded him of someone else. A woman who always took care of him and never gave up on him. A woman who was always there when he needed her. He saw her in her apron, preparing food for dinner. Her hair was blond but it was just a little below her shoulders. She turned and he gasped.

Calleigh turned around when she heard a gasp from him. Horatio was standing at the door like a statue and was not responding to her. She knew it. She knew Horatio was having a moment of memory relapse. She called out to him but he still didn't respond.

He saw her face. It was battered and bruised. She had a black eye and her lips were split. She had dried blood on her lips. Her eyes were puffy. Maybe from crying but he didn't know why. Slowly, he approached her but she seemed so far away. The further he stepped forward, the further she appeared to be. He reached out to her but he couldn't reach her. She was too far away. He wanted to help but he couldn't.

"Go Horatio. You can't help me." The more he stepped towards her, the more she asked him to go.

"Horatio..come back!" Calleigh tapped him on his shoulder and he jerked violently. He looked terrified. "Come back to me Horatio."

He looked at Calleigh intensely, studying her face very carefully. She wasn't the woman he saw. "You're not her."

"Not who Horatio?" Calleigh was confused.

"She had a black eye. Her lips were bloody and she had bruises all over her face. She told me to go. She told me I can't help her. I can't even reach out to her." Calleigh knew who he was talking about. Domestic violence was one of his father's trademark. It was his mother whom he saw.

"Horatio it's okay.." With her cleaned hands, he cupped his face gently. "It's okay. Look at me…" She lifted his head a little so that his eyes met hers and she saw the intense sadness in them. "It's going to be okay. Trust me. You did everything to protect her. You did stand up for her Horatio."

"Was she my mother?" Calleigh nodded. In an instant, Horatio saw a flash. He had a gun in his hand, standing over a man who was shot in the chest, lying in his own blood. It was him. It was his father. He turned around and there she was, laying on the ground lifeless after being beaten to death. A young boy was cradling her head on his lap.

Horatio looked at his wife. "I killed my father."

"You protected her Horatio. You protected your brother. You had to do what you had to do. You did everything you could." Horatio stared at his wife without saying anything. In the end, he nodded and hugged her. She returned the hug, holding him tight and gently rubbing his back.

"I love you Calleigh. I love you." Horatio whispered into her ear as he turned slightly. Upon hearing those words, Calleigh teared up and eventually tears made their way down her cheeks. For the first time after the accident, he finally said those words.

"I love you too Horatio." Horatio snuggled into her and stayed for a few moments. He had subconsciously told Calleigh that he loved her and he realized it only when she replied him. He then knew, that the woman in his arms was his true love.

"I really do love you Calleigh." Calleigh broke away from him and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"I know." She smiled and pulled him into the kitchen by his hand. They needed to continue preparing food for the gathering. The team would be arriving soon.

**To be continued...**

**Can I get reviews on what you think of this chapter? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Thanks for all the positive reviews. I hope you enjoy the next one ;)**

* * *

The team arrived one by one, bringing food over to the gathering. The boys brought beers while Natalia and Alexx brought dessert for all of them. Horatio had helped set up the barbeque set and had already sorted out the food outside. Everyone was excited.

"Happy Birthday Horatio."Alexx wished him and gave him a wrapped package. "It's from all of us." Alexx pulled him into a hug and he thanked her. Placing the gift in his room, he then headed to see if his children were awake. Clear enough, both of them were awake and standing in their cribs. They were talking in their baby language and giggling. Horatio stood at the door watching them. Horatius was giggling so hard that he fell and was seated while Alayna took notice of her father's existence in the room.

"Okay you two. Let's put on some nice clothes on you and let's meet your uncles and aunts."

Once ready, Horatio brought them down and the team cheered when they saw the two children. This time, Horatio didn't place them in the playpen. He let them play around since the team would be there to look after them.

"Hello my little princess." Eric cooed at Alayna when he picked her up. Eric had always adored Alayna. She was his little princess while Horatius was much more of Frank's little boy. "How are you?" Eric rubbed his stubbles on her soft cheeks and she giggled. He carried her over to corner of the living room and took a toy for her. Horatius on the other hand, had crawled over to the big Texan man and grabbed his pants, asking for attention. Frank looked down to the boy and there he was, with that big blue eyes which he cannot resist.

"Hello there big boy. You're all grown up aren't you." Frank kissed the baby hard that it made him giggle.

"Fank." The boy called.

"Yes I'm here. Now what else can you say…" Horatio looked at his children and the team. They were close. "Okay I've got to help your mummy and daddy. Uncle Ryan will hold you okay.." Ryan smiled as he gladly took the baby in his arms. Ryan had always loved children especially Horatius and Alayna. He would sometimes randomly buy them toys and clothes just to pamper them. As he was playing with Horatius, Eric handed Alayna to him as well.

Ryan left them alone for a minute to take their toys over in their playpen and when he turned around, Horatius was disturbing Alayna. The poor girl was screaming as her brother pulled her hair and then tried to knock her over. Ryan quickly headed over with a toy to distract Horatius from disturbing his sister. It only lasted less than 5 minutes. Horatius wanted what was in his sister's hands and he crawled towards her, trying to grab the toy away.

"You already have your toy…let's not take your sister's okay young man." Ryan tried to take toy away from his hands but he started to whimper softly. Horatius then decided to wrestle his sister, knocking her over to the floor once again, and climbed over her body. Alayna was screaming and he was giggling. He stopped for a moment and sat beside his sister. Ryan sat there, observing the two siblings. They ended up talking and giggling with Horatius' elbow on her tummy and his body leaning onto his sister. He decided to let it go and let them play. Alayna started to reach out for his face and touching them as they were busy talking in their own language. Both babies were in their own world until they heard their father's voice.

Horatio came into the room looking for Ryan so that they could start the barbeque and once he entered the room, he saw his two children playing with each other and giggling aloud. He saw their face lighten up when they turned their attention towards him.

"Hi there." Horatio cooed in a higher pitch. Both babies laughed and Horatius started crawling towards his father. He got excited upon seeing his father and started screaming and giggled again. Alayna too, upon seeing her father, quickly flipped her body and crawled towards him.

"Go on Ryan. I've got them." Ryan nodded and headed out while Horatio stayed with the kids. It felt awkward to him that Horatio was calling him by his first name. Horatio had always called him Mr. Wolfe. He shrugged and went out to the pool.

"Dada." Horatius blurted as her neared his father. Horatio picked him up and waited for his daughter to reach to him. Once he carried the both of them, Horatius started reaching out for his sister and pulled her hair again. Alayna screamed and Horatius giggled. Horatio tried to separate them but there was only so much he could do with them in his arms. Alayna then responded to her brother, reached out to his chubby cheeks, and grabbed them with both hands.

"Come on honey. Don't do that to your brother." Alayna then let go of his cheeks and scratched his cheeks with her fingers. His cheeks were red and both of them were screaming. "Calleigh you've got to take one of them." He called out as soon as he met Calleigh in the kitchen. She saw the redness of Horatius' cheeks and she also saw the messiness of Alayna's hair. Calleigh brought her daughter up to tidy her up while Horatio brought his son out by the pool to meet the team. His face was as red as a tomato and with his chubby cheeks, he looked exactly like one. Frank had started the barbeque with Eric while Ryan and Natalia helped to prepare the chocolate fondue on the table. Alexx was still in the kitchen waiting for Calleigh.

"Aww what happened to our little princess over here.." Alexx cooed when she saw Calleigh with Alayna.

"Well her brother decided to pull her precious hair. And she decided to scratch her brother's face." Calleigh shook her head.

"No wonder Horatius was crying and screaming." Calleigh nodded. "By the way Calleigh…isn't your anniversary next week?" Calleigh smiled when Alexx mentioned it but at the same time, she was disheartened as well. It was indeed their first wedding anniversary but he couldn't even remember their wedding day. Calleigh had planned something for him. Just a simple dinner and she wanted to ask something very important. She wanted to have another wedding. She wanted him to have the whole experience. She wanted him to remember their wedding anniversary. She just wanted a normal marriage where they could celebrate anniversaries that they both can remember and cherish. She wanted him to know how it feels like to get married but she didn't know how that would turn out and she doesn't know how he would react.

"But I'll be in New York on that day. I was planning to push it forward. And Alexx…keep this between us…" She paused. "I want to have another wedding but I don't know how he would react."

"Are you sure he's ready honey?" Calleigh looked insecure.

"I don't know. What do you think he will say?"

"I don't know honey. But if you think he's ready, go for it."

"But I'm not going to have it now. Maybe next year. Maybe he won't be ready now. I don't know Alexx."

"Calleigh, he needs to be ready."

"He said he loves me." Shocked, Alexx raised her eyebrows at Calleigh. That was great news.

"Then talk to him and you'll know." Calleigh nodded and they both made their way to meet the rest of them.

The moment Eric laid eyes on Calleigh, he approached her and took his little princess who was smiling and reaching out for him in his arms. "Aww my poor little princess. Horatius decided to pull your hair huh…"Eric stroked her blond hair gently.

"Wik." Eric turned to face the little girl in his arms. She had just called him and even though it wasn't proper, it was still something.

"Guys! My little princess just called me." The team cheered on and Horatio just smiled. He knew how much Eric loved his little girl and he knew that Eric would do anything for her. Horatius was still hanging on to Horatio and despite Horatio's efforts to hand him over to anyone else; his son was still clinging onto him. Horatius was extremely clingy towards his father especially when he was in distress. Horatio finally decided to hand his son over to his mother so that he could help Frank with the barbeque but his son started crying and was getting louder with small coughs.

"H, go on. I can manage. Besides, it's your birthday, man." Horatio took his son back into his arms and his son snuggled into him tightly, not wanting to let go. He nestled his head in the crook of his father's neck and went quiet.

Ryan, from Horatio's back, looked at how the baby calmed down in his father's arms and he admired him. Ryan tried to disturb the boy by gently pinching his chubby cheeks and the boy stared at him with his big and teary blue eyes. Horatius hid his face in the crook of his father's neck, away from Ryan but he decided to play with the boy's ears next and he whimpered softly. Horatio chuckled at his colleague's antics. Horatius turned away yet Ryan still managed to disturb him by pulling his other ear playfully. He started to whine and cry softly with squeaky breaths. Horatio rubbed his back gently to calm him down but it didn't work.

"Come on Ryan. Stop disturbing that boy. H is already having a hard time." Frank shouted from across the pool. Ryan laughed. "If you like disturbing babies so much, make one for yourself!" Frank continued teasing and Natalia blushed. Horatio shook his head and held his son closer to him, trying to calm him down again. His shirt was already wet from the tears.

After barbequing, the team made their way back into the house and Frank laid out the poker table with Eric. Horatio sat his son down in the living room with the ladies so that he could play with the rest of the guys and quickly walked away without his son noticing his disappearance. Horatio had placed him beside his sister to distract him. He ran to the other room where they have already set up the poker table and took a seat. Eric started dealing the cards and Horatio heard his children giggling and cooing from the other room. Then he started hearing Calleigh trying to soothe Horatius.

It went quiet and he continued playing, focusing on the card in his hand. Upon finishing the first round where Frank had won the pot, Horatio heard his son from the other room, crying in a high-pitched tone. Calleigh was trying so hard to calm Horatius down but he was still crying. Horatius was calling out for his father in between his sobs and coughs. As Eric was dealing the next hand, Calleigh appeared with Horatius in her arms. His cries softened upon seeing his father but he was still sobbing. Horatio turned, looking at his son, whose face was flushing red.

"Sorry guys. You continue." Horatio said as he left the table, walking towards Calleigh and took his son from his wife. "Now you can't see daddy have his moment can you young man." Horatio said softly as he wiped the tears from his son's face. Calleigh smiled at her husband.

"Sorry Horatio." He nodded and she kissed him on the cheek. Both of them headed to the living room where Natalia and Alexx were talking to each other.

"Ladies. I'm sorry I have to intrude." They smiled and gave Horatio some space to sit. Horatius was quieter in the arms of his father. In fact, he snuggled into his father's chest and just laid there quietly.

The guys who were playing, eventually gave up after a few rounds. Frank had cleaned them up. They then headed to the living room to have the movie night that they had agreed upon. Natalia had already set up the movie, all they were left to do was join them, and they could start the movie. Calleigh sat beside Horatio at the corner of the couch while Alexx took a seat at the end of the couch. Natalia and Ryan snuggled into each other in the middle of the room. Eric sat on the single-seater couch with Alayna in his arms. Frank was alone, laying on the floor. They were all comfortable enough to be with each other and didn't mind being seen in such states.

Calleigh laid in Horatio's arms, head on his chest and arm draped across his thigh. Horatio was holding his son in his arm who was already asleep on him. He could hear the soft breathings of his son. The movie ended sooner than they had anticipated and by the end of the movie, Calleigh had already fallen asleep on Horatio's chest. The team prepared to leave but Horatio couldn't move to see them out; especially with both Calleigh and Horatius on him. Alexx laid a hand on his shoulder, telling him that they could see themselves out. He nodded and smiled in appreciation. Eric laid Alayna on the mattress since Horatio told him he could manage.

Apparently, after they left, Horatio realized that he had overestimated himself. Now he had to carry his two children and possibly Calleigh. He had tried waking her up but she was not budging. Gently, Horatio laid his son on the couch, stomach down; making sure that his son would not move or worse, wake up. When he made sure Horatius wouldn't wake up, he moved away from Calleigh slowly, not wanting her to wake up and he gently slid his arm under her knee and the other around her waist. He was glad that his wounds have already healed and Calleigh wasn't as heavy. Easily, he made his way up and laid her on their bed then headed back down to carry his children. Horatius was already stirring up and Horatio quickly made his way to his son and carried him then carried his daughter.

After putting his children in their room, Horatio headed back to his room. To his surprise, he saw Calleigh thrashing under the blanket and calling out for him.

Calleigh stood alone, in an empty room. Suddenly, there was door before her. She approached it slowly and opened it up. She could feel the coldness. It was so cold that she was shivering and could feel it up to her bones. She wasn't wearing any jackets and there wasn't any around her. The light was blinding. Her surroundings were so quiet that she could even hear a pin drop. She didn't know where she was. She was lost. She needed to know where she was but there was no one there to ask for help. She turned around over and over again but there was no one. She tried walking away from the door, moving further inside the room. It was huge yet she was the only one in there.

"Horatio...Are you in here?" She kept turning and searching but to no avail. "Horatio...I don't like this. You know I hate to play hide and seek don't you...Come out Horatio. You're scaring me." Calleigh was slowly freaking out. There was no answer. She wanted to escape but the moment she turned to walk towards the door. The further she walked, the further the door seemed. Her heart thumped hard. She could hear it beat. Faster and faster. The silence was killing her. The silence was playing too loud in her head. She was losing her mind.

"Horatio..." Calleigh was starting to sob quietly when she realized she was alone and there was no escape for her. She fell on her knees and started crying harder.

"Mummy..." A voice called out to her. "Mummy why are you crying?" The voice called out again. Calleigh looked up to the owner of the voice and wiped the tears on her face. Her vision was blurry from her tears. She blinked for a few more times and there he was, standing, looking down at her. His skin was pale but his eyes were blue. They reminded her of someone; particularly Horatio. Yes. It was his eyes that she was looking into. The eyes, the nose, the lips and especially the hair. It wasn't blond. It was red; exactly like Horatio's.

"No. No. You can't be…"

"Can't be what Mummy?"

"No don't call me that. I'm not your mother! Horatius' hair is blond like mine. No. No. Horatius cannot be dead." Calleigh sobbed harder.

"Mummy I'm not Horatius. It's me Patrick. Your son." She looked up at him.

"No. No. I don't have any son named Patrick. Please…I just want to go back." She cried in desperation.

"Mummy…it's me Patrick. Please don't forget me…I was once part of you. I love you and I love daddy." It then hit her. Patrick. Patrick Callum Caine. He was the baby she lost.

"Oh god. It's you. I'm so sorry baby. I killed you. I didn't protect you. I should have protected you like a mother would."

"Mummy you need to stop blaming yourself. It wasn't meant. It wasn't your fault. None of this is your fault."

"It's my fault baby. If I hadn't…" The boy silenced her.

"No. This wasn't your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself. You need to forget about it mummy. Let daddy help you. You need to move on. Forgive yourself." The boy then started walking away.

"Wait..don't leave me…I need you…" He turned with sad eyes.

"Mummy…you don't need me. What you need is daddy, my brother and my sister. You need to forgive yourself because none of this is your fault." Calleigh looked up to respond to him but he was nowhere in sight. He was gone and the room had lost all its brightness. It was all dark. Pitch-black. She could see nothing at all. Not even her own hands.

"Horatio…." Calleigh thrashed once again under the blanket. Horatio quickly approached her and tried to wake her up. He shook her gently at first then harder until she woke up.

She jerked up and her eyes opened. The first thing she saw was the same pair of blue eyes that she had seen earlier. Everything was the same except this man in front of her was so much older. "I'm sorry Horatio. I'm so sorry." Horatio looked at her with eyes full of concern. He had heard this exact line before but didn't press her to tell him. "I'm sorry that I killed Patrick. I'm sorry I didn't protect him like I should. I should have taken care of him Horatio."

Patrick. That name was familiar to him. He knew that name. In his mind, every thoughts and memories of where he had heard that name flashed one after another until it stopped. Patrick Callum. Patrick Callum Caine to be exact. Calleigh was leaning onto him with her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her waist and his free hand was scrolling through the list of names. It was that night where they had chosen names for their children. It then hit upon him that she was talking about the baby she lost. She was still blaming herself for it.

"It's not your fault Calleigh. I want you to stop blaming yourself. I need you to stop blaming yourself. Do it for me Calleigh. Do it for Horatius and Alayna." Calleigh was sobbing. "Calleigh, when I promised you I wanted to start afresh with you, I meant it. So please Calleigh. I need you to stop blaming yourself. I need you to move on. You may never forget about it but you have to walk away from it." She looked at him and he raised his hands, cupping her face gently. "I forgive you Calleigh." He knew that she needed to hear those words from him in order for her to stop blaming herself and start forgiving herself. "And I want you to forgive yourself too. For us." Calleigh nodded slightly and leaned against him. Horatio let her sink into him as he held her tight in his embrace. She needed to move on. She needed to start forgiving herself and this was the first step.

**To be continued...**

**Can I get reviews on what you think of this chapter? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Thanks for all the positive reviews. I hope you enjoy the next one ;)**

* * *

"Hey handsome. How's everything? You handling it okay?"

Horatio glanced over at his children who were playing in the living room. Since Calleigh had already gone to New York for the ballistic conference, he was in charge of the children. Calleigh did ask Alexx for her help to check on him or to babysit the children but today, he had to bring them to the office because the department was short-handed and Alexx had to report to work.

"Yeah we're doing fine. I was just getting them ready and am packing their stuff. I have to bring them with me. It's all hands on deck today and Alexx had to report. And it's too late for me to get someone to take care of them." He replied as his free hand was shoving in toys into the babies' bag.

As soon as he finished, packing their belongings, he heard the engine of a car. Since Horatio couldn't drive, Eric volunteered to fetch him to work. It was along the way anyway. He ended the call with Calleigh and went to open the door for Eric who went to pick Alayna up while he carried Horatius. His son was not really a fan of his Uncle Eric. He was more of Frank's little boy. As usual, Horatio had to sit in between both his children. Upon reaching the lab, they had to sneak in to avoid anyone from seeing them with the babies; especially the chief if he happens to be there. Horatio couldn't afford any mistakes.

They pushed the two couches to form a bed-like furniture so that the children could play without falling off the couch. Horatio didn't want them to be on the floor either. They placed both Horatius and Alayna then Horatio dumped their toys and their plushies together with them. It was a successful plan to keep them distracted. Eric then left Horatio and the children to do his own job.

Along the way, Eric met with Frank who had a desperate look on his face. He looked worried yet excited at the same time. It was as if he had some good news to tell him. Eric wondered what could be the news that Frank had for him. He just wished it was something good. He wished it was something about the case because they were literally stuck. They needed some lead to carry on with the investigation or they might have to drop the case. Frank on the other hand, he just wanted to blurt out his brilliant idea. How could he have forgotten about that one person who had every detail of John Kelly. How could he have forgotten about the man who worked with John Kelly. Now he was confident they were going to get somewhere with the case. At least somewhere.

"What's up Francis?"

"I've got a plan. It just crossed my mind. Remember Jimmy Landon? He worked with Horatio when he was still John Kelly. He was his partner. I'm sure we can get something off him. About Horatio's past or anything related to it." Eric took a while to process what Frank just told him. It was indeed a brilliant idea. He couldn't believe it that they had just forgotten about Jimmy Landon; the guy who had attacked Horatio.

"Alright. Let's go." Both of them made their way to see Jimmy. It was time they cleared their doubts and it was time they get their questions answered.

Once they logged in their visit, they waited for Jimmy to appear in the visiting lounge. They were both anxious to get all the information that could alter the lives of Horatio and Calleigh. It could be good news but at the same time, it could be bad news as well. They just had to wait for it.

"Hey fellas. What's up? I thought it was Horatio coming here again." Eric and Frank looked at each other, confused over what was going on. "He came to see me with a letter when his wife was kidnapped. He thought I was the one who sent him the letters. If you guys are here about that, I swear to god I don't have anything with it." He replied defensively.

"Calm down Jimmy. We're not saying that you sent those letters. Horatio received a lot more letters from the same person. We just want to ask you a few questions. About John Kelly." Jimmy looked surprise. Of course he would be surprised. Why would colleagues of Horatio Caine want to know about John Kelly; about a man that does not exist anymore.

"What's going on? John Kelly doesn't exist anymore. It's over."

"Jimmy we need your help. Horatio needs your help."

"I'm not saying another word. Sorry fellas." Jimmy stood and took his leave.

"Jimmy hold up. John Kelly is gone. We know that. But we need to know about him. We don't want to lose Horatio Caine as well. He's a husband and a father. His family needs him." Jimmy stopped walking. He was wondering what was it about.

"What are you guys talking about? What happened to him?" He sat back at his place.

"Hermanos Españoles. Does that ring a bell?" Jimmy hung his head low.

"Son of a bitch. They got to him." He muttered under his breath. "Hermanos Españoles. It was the gang he and I worked on and the one I worked for when I got dirty. He brought the whole organization down. The one he burnt down the warehouse. Enrico Martinez. He's the right hand man. The main man behind the organization retired and Enrico took over. His name was Javier Santoria. He died of a heart attack when he heard about the take-down. He had a daughter…uhm..her name was…"

"Lisa. Lisa Santoria." Frank finished his sentence.

"Yeah that was it. Lisa Santoria. Oh. And she's also Enrico's fiancée before the take-down. She left him when he got disfigured or something. Something along that line." Jimmy looked at the both of them. "Fellas, what is going on? What happened to Horatio? Did they really get to him?"

"He was asked to rebuild the organization. They threatened to kill his family. And he got involved with an accident while trying to blow up the warehouse. He lost his memory. That was why we had to come to you. And we couldn't find any files on John Kelly. Or Hermanos Españoles."

"Well I can't help with that fellas. But you better get to Lisa before she gets to him. Hermanos Españoles is a very proud and loyal organization. They do not handle it well when their members are hurt or killed. I'm sorry that's all I can help you with."

Frank and Eric thanked Jimmy for the help and immediately went to look for Lisa. Never did they expect Lisa was involved. They thought she was just an angry ex-girlfriend who wanted revenge because he left her. She was apparently the daughter of the man who built Hermanos Españoles. She was also the ex-fiancée of the right hand man who took over the organization. They needed to find her quick. She might have people on the outside who might still be going after Horatio. The moment they arrived and asked for Lisa Santoria, they had the biggest shock of their lives.

"She was bailed out a week ago." The moment Eric heard the news, he slammed his hand on the table.

"I want to know by who and when exactly! I want every details of it." Eric almost screamed. Their only link to the case had just been bailed out and Horatio's life is back in danger.

"We don't have such details. We only have the visitor's log." The officer replied timidly.

Eric was beyond furious. Frank had to be the calm one in this situation because he knew how hotheaded Eric could be. If he was honest with himself, he was also beyond furious but they wouldn't get anywhere if they were both consumed by their emotions. Someone had to be the rational one. Frank took the visitor's log and took a seat at the corner of the room. As he was busy perusing the logbook, a name caught his attention. He saw that name a few times in the logbook. Emanuel Rodrigue. Whoever this guy was, he has been visiting Lisa on a regular basis. He might even be the one who bailed her out. Frank was thankful that every visitor needed to log in his or her contact number but he knew that there was a possibility of the number being a fake. Hell even his name could be a fake.

"We've got a name. Possibly a contact number. But let's not put our hopes high. It could be a fake identity for all we know." Frank said to Eric who was pacing up and down the hallway. Eric nodded and they both headed back to the lab after getting what they needed.

Upon reaching to their destination, Eric and Frank parted. Eric headed up to the lab while Frank went back to his cubicle. As Eric waited for the elevator, a man stepped beside him. His posture looked familiar. Eric took a glance and the fear in him struck. It was the Chief. Eric remembered Calleigh's reminder not to let Horatio get into trouble and having the twins in his office was trouble enough. He had to do something before the chief reached Horatio's office and sees the children. He had to move away from the chief and maybe contact Ryan who might be in the lab or they were screwed. Calleigh was going to be as mad as the chief if she knew the chief found out.

"Mr. Delko weren't you taking the elevator?" Eric stopped dead at his tracks.

"Oh no. I just remembered I left something with Detective Tripp."

"Hi baby…" Horatio cooed as he knelt by the couch, watching his children play and interact with themselves. He decided to take a break from all the paperwork that he had been doing the whole morning. He picked one of the toys and started playing with them; making funny voices and talking in baby language with them. The babies were giggling and Horatius was crawling towards his father, reaching out for the toy in his hand. Horatio gave in and handed the toy to his son. He then ruffled his son's hair, causing the baby to whimper in annoyance.

Eric on the other hand, was panting real hard as he climbed the staircase. He had already made a call to Ryan to take the babies out of the office before the chief sees them. Eric even warned not to leave any evidence of their existence in the office. While Ryan goes to take the babies, Eric climbed the stairs to every level to stall the chief. He pressed for the elevator on every level to buy time for them to clear the office.

"Hey H." Ryan pushed the office door wide open; shocking Horatio and Natalia, who was in the plan immediately rushed over to the twins to pick them up. Horatio was dumbfounded and speechless over what was happening right there. He was just staring into blank space while Ryan was busy packing the toys up. Once Natalia left the office, Ryan rearranged the couches to their original position. It was a quick and easy job.

"What's happening?" Horatio managed to speak after a while; as Ryan was at the door, leaving.

"Sorry H. The chief is coming. We don't want any trouble." Ryan replied and immediately left. Horatio got his message. If the chief knew he brought the children to the office, he would be in deep trouble. He couldn't afford any mistakes; especially not after the chief had warned that would be kicked out of the office if he was caught doing anything wrong.

Right after Ryan was out of his sight, the chief appeared outside his office. Horatio wondered what the chief wanted. He didn't make an appointment or called to meet. He just appeared out of nowhere. Horatio's mind was already somewhere else. He wondered if he had done anything wrong. He wondered if he had done the reports wrongly. He knew for sure that he didn't step into the lab. He was always in his office, trying not to meddle with whatever that was going on with the cases. The moment he heard a knock, he was shaken back into reality. He invited the chief into his office and offered him a seat. The chief's eyes were clearly wandering around his office, scanning for anything amiss. His eye caught something but Horatio couldn't figure out what until he bent down to pick it up. It was Horatius' toy car.

"You brought your children here?" Horatio's eyes darted to the toy in the chief's hand.

"No sir. That wouldn't be appropriate. I guess I dropped it. My son always tries to hand me his toy when I'm leaving for work. It must have been one of those days." Horatio tried to cover himself. How could he have missed the toy. The toy must have slipped between the two couches and they didn't notice it. Horatius didn't even make any noise about his missing toy car.

"And how do you explain that?" The chief pointed to the teething toy on the table. Horatio turned around and cursed inwardly. Horatio had placed the teething toy on his table after he sat his children on the couch. He had forgotten all about it. It was green which meant it was Alayna's. Horatio reached into his pocket. He was stuck. He didn't know what to answer the chief and as he was reaching into his pocket, he felt something rubbery and soft.

'_Damn. It's Horatius' pacifier.'_ Alayna no longer needed the pacifier so clearly, it was his son's.

"Well my kids loves giving me their toys. And sometimes, when I miss them, I'll just take a break and just play around with them." That was the most ridiculous excuse he could ever come up with. The chief looked at him with the weirdest look as if he was some freak who loved playing with children's toys. As if he had no childhood of his own.

"You play with the teething toy?" The chief asked sarcastically. Damn the stupid excuse. How did he not think of that. What? Was he biting onto that teething toy? How does one play with a teething toy. Now he looked stupid. He had to come up with something better.

"Well it's my way of coping being away from my children. Their toys represent them and it comforts me that it's here with me. It represents a gift from them to me." The chief rolled his eyes and still gave Horatio that weird look.

"Okay. Not the point. I'm here for something important." The chief had a worried look and that in turn, caused Horatio to worry. He could feel his stomach churning. The chief still hasn't said anything yet. "Calleigh's in the hospital. I just got the news." Horatio felt his world spinning. His wife, his lover, his pillar of strength, his everything. Horatio grabbed the edge of the table and leaned onto it. "You might want to hop on the next flight. I know you want to and I'm giving you the permission. She's your wife afterall. Go Horatio." Horatio composed himself and took a deep breath before standing up straight. He shook the chief's hand and immediately made his way out,

"Don't forget this." Horatio turned and the chief threw him the teething toy, which he caught just in time.

Horatio rushed to the toilet in which he saw Ryan heading towards it earlier. They had to hide in there to avoid the chief. He went in as quickly as possible, grabbed the babies' bag, sling it across his shoulder and took the two children in his arms. When he got out of the toilet, the chief was just leaving Horatio's office. Horatio couldn't be bothered about it. His wife was in the hospital on the other side of the world. Not literally but he still needed to fly over to see her.

The chief froze when he saw Horatio carrying the two children. Horatio had brought his children to the office. He shook his head. He wanted to call Horatio back and ask about that but deep down, he still had a humane instinct. His wife was away and there might be no one to take care of his children. As a father, he understood that crisis between having to comply with the office rules and being a responsible father. Of course, he would choose the latter and he let Horatio off the hook. Horatio arrived in New York a few hours later and immediately made his way to the hospital where Calleigh was admitted to.

Seeing his wife lying on the bed, asleep, made him realize one thing. He couldn't live if he had lost her. He had grown attached to her. He had grown to love her. He parked the stroller by the bed and took a seat. His children were probably exhausted from the flight. He was amazed at himself that he managed to handle two children on the plane, on his own. As he stared at his children sleeping peacefully, a voice called out for him.

"Horatio…You're here." Horatio turned and there she was. His green-eyed angel; lying in bed with bandage around her head.

"Hey beautiful." Calleigh smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Better that you're here with me." He beamed at that. He felt his heart flutter. He felt himself falling in love with her. Horatio sat on the edge of her bed and took her hand in his.

"Don't leave me." He said with such sincerity in his voice that could make her melt.

Just then, a man and woman entered. They had an air of confidence; especially in their strides. Horatio sensed something familiar about them. "Mac Taylor. NYPD." He offered his hand to Horatio.

"Horatio. But I assume you already know me." The other man nodded and smiled.

"It's back. There was a note in your hotel room." Horatio understood what that meant. Calleigh had explained to him before about what happened.

"What is it?" Mac looked at Calleigh, as if asking for approval. "I know what happened. She told me everything." When Calleigh nodded, Mac handed the piece of paper to them.

_'Tell Caine to watch his back. The game has just been resumed.'_

Horatio turned to Calleigh who was holding his hand tightly. He smiled sadly at her. Calleigh sensed the tension within him. She sensed the conflict in him. She reached out her other hand and cupped his face. "It's okay baby. You're going to be just fine. I'm here with you. You don't have to be afraid of anything."

"Don't leave me. Please." Horatio leaned into her touch and whispered just enough for her to hear.

"Never." She smiled and he turned, planting a kiss on her palm.

**To be continued...**

**Can I get reviews on what you think of this chapter? ;P**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter. I feel like my writing haven't been up to standard or whatnot. But I'm trying :)**

* * *

-A week later-

Looking over the whole New York City at the top of the Empire State Building with the man she loves was the most amazing feeling ever. Leaning against his body, head on his shoulder, Calleigh took a deep breath. She has longed for this moment; just basking in the glory of having Horatio returning to her and just having her complete family with her. Standing at the top of the building, Calleigh got a whiff of his scent as the wind blows gently. Musky yet manly. As they watch the sunset and the lights slowly replacing the sun, she could feel his strong yet gentle hand on her waist, fingers gently caressing her flat stomach over her dress. His fingers were very gentle with her. Calleigh placed her hand on top of his and pulled herself closer into him. It was during that moment that she wanted to forget about everything and everyone.

Horatio felt her warm, soft hand on his and he felt a jolt of electricity run through his body. As she pulled herself closer to him, he kissed the top of her head, inhaling her sweet strawberry scent. His other hand held onto the stroller in front of them and as they were enjoying the view of the whole city slowly being lit up, his thoughts went back to the package in his pocket. Calleigh had, on his birthday, asked if he wanted to relive the happiest moments in his life, including a wedding and even having the opportunity to watch the birth of a child. His own child. He had thought about it and thinking about how he desired to have that moment when he flipped through the family album, he knew he wanted it to happen. He wanted to relive the happy moments. He wanted a happy memory. A memory that he and Calleigh could share together.

When he realized what he wanted, he decided that he needed to take action. He wanted it. He wanted what he saw in the album. His happy life. He wanted to remember every second of it. Almost losing the woman in his embrace made him realize that he did actually love her and it took him so long to realize that. He didn't want to lose the opportunity to be happy with her or to make her happy. He didn't want to lose the opportunity to enjoy the growth of another baby inside her. He wanted to enjoy every second of it. He wanted to pamper her and he wanted to be there with her when she fought for the baby. He wanted to be there to cut the cord. He wanted to remember every second of it and would never forget it like he had with Horatius and Alayna.

He slipped his hand away from her and loosened his embrace. He made sure the stroller was not blocking the way and that it was in his sight. After he assured himself that his children were secured within his line of sight, he gently turned Calleigh to face him and looked deep in her emerald eyes. Even in a dimly-lit place, her eyes were still shining. Under the moonlight and under the shining stars, with the whole city below them, he wanted to profess his love to her. He wanted to show the world that the woman with him was his world and just as he promised her before, he would prize her above all others.

"Calleigh Duquesne, above this whole city, I want you to know that I've realized that you and I are meant for each other. I want you to know, just like this city, my life would be dark and empty without the lights and the light that I need is you. I want the world to know my love for you and I want the world to be the witness to our love. I may not remember how or why I fell in love with you in the past but now I know. I know the reason why I fell in love with you and I have once again fallen in love with you." As he stared into her eyes, he slowly got down onto one knee and held the box open in front of him. "Will you let me fall in love with you over and over again for the rest of my life?"

Upon hearing his little speech, Calleigh teared up and let a tear fall. She was touched and amazed at how the man in front of her never failed to surprise her. Everyone around them were staring at them and waiting for her to give her reply. She stared at the man in front of her in awe. With hand over her mouth, trying to contain her squeal, she nodded yes. Horatio beamed. The crowd cheered for them as he stood and pulled her into his embrace.

"I love you Calleigh." He whispered.

"I love you too Horatio." He let her go and took the ring, slipping it on her finger. Time stood still as they shared a passionate and searing kiss, both enjoying the sweet and romantic moment together under the moonlight and above the city. She was elated beyond words. Horatio had made her night. He had made their last night in New York the most beautiful one despite the horrible incident. Soon, they would return to their hometown where all the game started. They would be back to hunt whoever that was behind all the drama and the agony they had to suffer.

Calleigh stood in the morgue, waiting for Alexx to turn away from the body she was operating on. She had never been this excited and happy since she lost her baby. Horatio returning to her and confessing his love to her was more than anything. Just that simple gesture could make her happy and forget the world. She would never be able to forget about the baby she lost but with Horatio walking every step with her, she would slowly move on. In fact, she has promised herself that she would give him everything. She would give him the opportunity to relive every moment of his life.

"Hey honey. Come on in. I'm done with this guy." Calleigh stepped in and Alexx noticed the glow in her. She knew Calleigh was happy. "You look happy."

"I am. Horatio proposed." Calleigh held up her hand and showed Alexx the ring on her finger. It was a simple diamond ring. Even though it was not as fancy as his previous gifts, she was happy with it. As long as it was from him, she doesn't mind anything at all. Alexx was happy for her. Finally, her good friend was happy. Finally, after the loss of her baby, Calleigh was happy. She had seen the pain and misery Calleigh had gone through during the hardest moment of her life and she couldn't do anything to lessen her pain.

"Do I get to be your bridesmaid?" Alexx was just teasing her but she was surprised when Calleigh nodded. They would be having a wedding.

Horatio and Calleigh have discussed about it and they both decided that they would have a wedding ceremony because she wanted him to feel the jitters and the excitement of getting married. Besides, Horatio wanted to feel how it was like to get married. He wanted to know how happy he would be during that day. He wanted what he saw in the pictures.

* * *

"Come on Rick. You bailed me out to get revenge on Horatio didn't you. So let's do it."

"I did that because we had a deal that we're just going to bring him down. That's all." Rick was pacing up and down, across the room.

"Like you meant that." Lisa replied sarcastically.

"I really did. And that was why I went to all the troubles getting everything out of their access. I went to New York to get all the files on your damn organization! I even cleared his details or whatever that links him to you. I went to all the troubles to dig up his past. About his dad. I even dug up about Raymond Caine. You think I went to all the troubles for nothing?" Rick almost screamed.

It was true. He was the one who erased everything on John Kelly and even Hermanos Españoles. Apparently it was easy for him to get to the New York police especially when Horatio had bad blood with the IAB there. He had bad relations with the IAB as well and Rick used that as an advantage. With connections, Rick managed to get all the details on John Kelly and what he did. He was surprised that even then, Horatio had good arrest records. Nonetheless, he was amazed when he found out about the death of Horatio's father. The charges were dropped as it was claimed as self-defense. Rick wanted to dig deeper but no one else was able to give him any details of it. They only had the words of his brother who was now dead.

"Come on Rick. It's easy. You don't have to do much. Just haunt them a little and just set up something for me. That I'll tell you later when I've planned everything in detail. I just need you be there and help me with it." Lisa approached him with a seducing body language. As she neared him, she gently traced her finger down his chest and leaned into him. "Do it or I will report you to them. You know what you did was obstruction of justice don't you?"

"Damn you. I shouldn't have bailed you out."

"But you did. Because deep down you know you can't do this on your own and you needed someone to help you bring him down. But honestly Rick…you're pretty stupid. You know I want him to myself don't you? And besides, what can I tell you about him? I don't know much. I dated him once and that was it. I know nothing about his personal life." Lisa smirked.

As much as Rick hated to admit it, Lisa could actually help him bring Horatio down. He was finally going to get that position that Horatio 'snatched' from him. He longed for the moment when he would finally be called Lieutenant Stetler. While Calleigh was in New York, Rick flew over and sent that letter to her hotel room. It was also him who hit her on the head as she ran to the door to check for any suspicious behavior after she had called for the cops.

"Fine. Do what you want. I just want him out of the picture so that I can take over him. Just make sure he's not dead. I don't want that burden on me."

* * *

"Come on baby. You can do it." Horatio encouraged his son to walk. Horatius was finally taking his first steps. After a month, he was finally cooperating. Usually he would just lift himself up when his father held his hand but this time, he took his first step. Alayna on the other hand, was already grabbing onto the furniture and holding it for support as she pulled herself to walk. Slowly, Horatio let go of his son's hand and let him stand on his own in the beginning and let him go on his own. He was shaky and unstable, reaching for his father who only watched. He fell the first time but Horatio never gave up on him. He lifted his son up and let him go once again. He had to do it a few times until he finally took a step forward. He didn't want his son to be a quitter. At last, Horatius finally took his first steps and Calleigh had it recorded.

Alayna didn't need much help. She was very independent and she was starting to climb onto the table. As much as Horatio wanted to stop her from climbing, he didn't want to restrict his daughter. She was free to explore unless it became too dangerous for her. Horatius started holding on to anything that he could grab to support him and instead of walking to the front, he was walking sideways like a crab. Horatio and Calleigh let him be. They wanted him to learn to be independent. Seated on the table, Alayna watched her brother and spoke gibberish to which her brother responded. It was their little language that none of their parents understood. It was their own language that could make them giggle and scream. It was then when Horatius started to lift himself up to climb onto the table like his sister but he couldn't. He hasn't learnt the skills of climbing. He tried as he might but he still couldn't get up. Alayna reached out to her brother and pulled his hair as if she wanted to pull him up to the table but it was not successful.

"Come here princess. Let's get down. Your brother still cannot climb up." Horatio spoke to his daughter as he carried her down from the table. Just as Horatio placed her down, she got back up on her feet then slowly reached out to her father. He reached out for her and guided her to him. Horatio made her stand on his lap, letting her play with his hair. She always loved playing with his hair. Being jealous of his sister, Horatius crawled to his father. He grew tired of walking. As he reached towards his father, he pulled himself up and stood on Horatio's lap just like his sister. Instead of fighting with his sister or play with his father's hair, he snuggled into the crook of Horatio's neck.

"Ouch!" Horatio jerked his head to the side. "Horatius are you really that angry at me." He turned to Horatius and he was giving that cheeky look on his face after biting his father's neck. This boy would one day be the death of him. Horatio just couldn't imagine what trouble this boy would be once he could walk on his own. He would be all over the house, climbing and making a mess out of everything. Horatius snuggled into his father again. Being wary of what his son would do, Horatio warned his son not to bite him again. Horatio waited a few seconds to ensure that his son would not bite again but after having confirmed that he would not bite, he was surprised with yet another bite.

"Do that again and I'll pass you to mummy." He knew that his son understood what he said. Horatius was much more attached to his father instead of his mother but he knew to whom he should go to if he needed his milk or when Horatio wasn't there with him. Alayna was the kind of child who didn't really mind her father or mother but she would usually go to her mother. Once Horatio said that he would pass him to his mother, Horatius continued snuggling into the crook of his father's neck but didn't bite him anymore. He was afraid of his mother especially after the incident where Calleigh flicked his hand.

Calleigh came in with two milk bottles for them and when Horatius saw his mother carrying his bottle, he reached out for it. Instead of passing him the bottle first, Calleigh placed the bottle down on the table and reached out to carry him. He resisted in the beginning but eventually loosens his grip on his father.

"Aww look. You gave daddy a love bite. You must love him so much." Calleigh remarked as she lifted her son off Horatio and saw the mark on his neck.

* * *

Rick stood by the window, staring out into the blank space. He wondered what it would be like to hold a position as a lieutenant. He had dreamt of being called Lieutenant for so long and right now, he was going to achieve that dream of his. As he stared into his future, he felt arms snaking around his waist and body leaning onto him. He was too deep now. There was no more turning back. Horatio was going down now. He and Lisa were going to make it happen. It was just a matter of time.

"You ready for more?" She purred into his ear.

"Lisa, I don't know if this is right. You and me…dammit it would be a mess!" Rick took her hands off him.

"After all this? After you've already used me?" She berated. "You're just using me to get to Horatio aren't you?"

"Look, I'm not using you…I'm just…" Rick couldn't find a proper word. She was right. He was using her to get to Horatio but now he was deep in trouble. How the hell did he just slept with her. He couldn't believe himself. He got involved with her. He didn't want to admit it but she was irresistable. And in that moment, as much as he hated it, he wanted her. He wanted more of her. Roughly, he pushed her against the wall and used his body to keep her from escaping.

_'Use her while you can. While it lasts. After you've got what you wanted, this will all be over.' _He convinced himself that this was okay. That this would all be over when Horatio goes down.

"God why are you making this tough on me. You know so well that I can't resist you." Rick groaned in between his rough and hard kisses on her neck. He lifted her off the ground and held her against the wall, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He was taking her there and then.

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	26. Chapter 26

"In a child's eyes, a mother is a goddess. She can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way. I am convinced that this is the greatest power in the universe."  
― N.K. Jemisin, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

**A/N: To all the mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day. **

* * *

Horatio laid in bed, listening to Calleigh's breathings. Her breathings were steady. Slowly and gently, he lifted her arm off his chest. He sneaked out of the room after making sure she was not going to wake up any time soon. He went and put on his robe before tiptoeing to open the door. He froze when the door creaked. Calleigh shifted in bed but thankfully she didn't wake up. He slid himself out of the small gap and made his way to the nursery. He was going to make a surprise for Calleigh. Her birthday was in the same week as the upcoming mother's day. He knew it wasn't much but it was the least he could come up with on a short notice. It slipped his mind that mother's day was coming soon.

As he walked into the nursery and watched his two children sleeping, it pained him that he has to wake them up. It was part of his plan to surprise Calleigh. He had to shut the door to prevent any noise travelling to their room then switched the light on to slowly arouse them from their sleep. They tossed and turned away from the brightness of the light but Horatio could not stop at that. He had plans to carry out. He reached out to the baby monitor to switch it off so that if and when they start crying, it would not wake their mother up. He lifted Alayna up, knowing that she was the less fussy baby.

"Come on sweetheart…open your eyes for me. We have a lot of things to do for mummy.." He whispered into his daughter's ear as he cradled and rocked her gently in his arms. She moved slightly but still wasn't awake yet. He started blowing into her ear lightly, causing her to turn away and her eyes started to flutter. "I'm sorry baby but I have to wake you up. I promise you'll get a longer nap later." Alayna was waking up in his arms and as he tried to pick his son up; his big blue eyes were staring and blinking at him.

"Oh you just made my job easier my boy." He picked Horatius up and tiptoed all the way to the garage, not causing any noise at all.

"Dada." Horatius called out when Horatio put them down on the floor as he set up his plans.

"Hush hush. We don't want to wake mummy up." Horatio turned to his son and placed a finger on his lips, gesturing to them to keep quiet. Horatius imitated him and placed his finger on his lips as well. He chuckled at his behavior. His children were starting to imitate and learn. He laid the plastic sheet on the floor and pasted the big heart-shaped piece of cardboards with fun-tak. He was going to make them finger-paint the cardboards then frame it up with a collage of their family photos.

Horatio took off their clothes, leaving them in their diapers and let them dip their hands inside the paint that he created earlier when Calleigh was busy preparing dinner. He had mixed sugar, cornstarch, water and some colorings to create safe painting for the children. It was entirely edible and he didn't have to worry about them putting the paint in their mouths. As the babies dipped their hands, they were eager to move around. Horatius started to crawl around while Alayna seemed to grasp her father's actions. Horatio showed them what to do, expecting them to imitate his actions. He dipped his finger in the paint and stamped it on the heart-shape. Alayna followed her father. She held her hand on the heart-shape and when Horatio released his finger, she followed. Upon seeing what she created, she giggled. Horatio clapped his hands to show that she was doing a good job and wanted her to continue. She clapped as well, causing the paint to splatter all over her face. She had pure happiness on her face.

Seeing Alayna giggling, Horatius approached his sister and swiped the paint on her face. Horatio shook his head. If they continued disturbing each other, his plans wouldn't be completed. He carried his son to the other heart-shape, across his sister and manually guided his hands to print on it. Alayna was doing a good job with her piece and she was actually standing on it, unknowingly printing her feet with the wet paint. Horatius on the other hand was easily distracted. As his father printed his hands, he was busy looking over at his sister enjoying herself. Horatio had to turn him away from his sister. Realizing that he had nothing to look at anymore, Horatius focused on his paint-covered hands and the art created in front of him. Horatio then lifted him up and dipped his feet into the paint then placed him on the cardboard. He started giggling.

Once the cardboards were fully colored, Horatio left his children on the floor, roaming around as he took the artwork for drying. Using the hairdryer, he blew it on the cardboards so that it would dry faster and when he heard both his children giggling, he had to turn. Both of them were smearing paint on each other and were wrestling against themselves. Horatio let them play while he on the other hand, started putting together the photo collage. He pasted the two heart shapes and surrounded them with pictures of the family and especially of the children. He had to do one more thing. Capture the beautiful moment where his children were playing with the paint and make a small frame of it.

When he was done with all of those, he cleaned the children up and had to put them back to sleep which, he had failed miserably. They were too excited to go back to sleep. It was almost time for him to make breakfast for Calleigh but with the children awake, he didn't know how he could cope. There was only one thing that could distract them, yet make them happy and satisfied. Feed them with the animal biscuits. It was not right but it was the only thing.

* * *

"Morning mummy." Calleigh awoke to the smell of pancakes and he saw her husband in apron, carrying a tray of what seemed to be a glass of orange juice, and a plate of pancakes with strawberry sauce. There was even bacon and egg. He laid it in front of her and left to pick the children, along with their artwork.

"Happy mother's day. And happy advanced birthday." Horatio gave a peck on her lips. "Here's your mother's day gift from them." Horatio smiled as he handed her the frame. Calleigh teared up when she saw what he and the children had done for her. Horatius and Alayna sat with their mother on her lap.

"Mama." Alayna pointed out to Calleigh's picture. Horatio and Calleigh chuckled.

"Yes honey. That's mummy in that picture. Now how about you two come here to daddy and we let mummy open her birthday present." Calleigh looked at Horatio, surprised. Horatio took a box from under the bed. He took the tray away and took the children from her to give her some space to unwrap her present. Once she saw the dress, she smiled. He was glad that she liked the dress he bought. It was a white dress with floral designs on it.

"Thank you Horatio." She gave Horatio a gentle kiss on his lips and on his cheeks. "And thank you sweethearts." She kissed her children.

* * *

Rick entered the office after being acknowledged and invited to come in. Hands in his pockets, he walked over to the desk. He looked determined and driven. It was as if nothing could ever bring him down even if they try so hard.

"Is there anything I can help you with Sergeant?"

"I want Lieutenant Caine out of the lab. You know way better that I'm more capable of doing his job. He's a disaster waiting to happen. He's detrimental to the department. He can't even do anything besides paperwork. If you let me take over, you wouldn't need to waste resources on him." Rick was straightforward. He didn't beat around the bush or try to sugarcoat what he had to say. The chief looked at him with much confusion.

"You seemed very determine to get rid of him. Is there something you know that I don't?" Rick smirked slightly but the chief did not notice it. His plan was working. He laid the documents on the table and opened the file one by one, explaining every single thing that he found out about Horatio Caine-from when he started in New York and until Miami. Chief Mendelson was shocked upon hearing the revelation of Horatio's past.

* * *

"Calleigh could you get the door? I'm still shaving." It was just a ruse to get her to open the door. He was done shaving minutes ago but he needed her to open the door. It was the flower delivery for her. It was part of the surprise.

Calleigh reluctantly slipped on her robe and left her two children on the bed, knowing that they were too distracted by the pancake in their bowls. As she heard the bell rang for the second time, she quickened her pace and swung the door open. She froze the moment she opened the door. Eyes wide opened, she gasped slightly.

"Mrs. Calleigh Caine?" Calleigh was still in shock that she was speechless. The deliveryman called out for her again. She shook herself out of the trance. Horatio chuckled softly as he watched her from the top of the staircase.

"Yes. I'm Calleigh Caine."

"This is for you. Sent by Mr. Horatio Caine." Calleigh smiled as he handed her the bouquet of yellow tulips; her favorite flowers. As the deliveryman left, Calleigh turned, not noticing Horatio at the top of the staircase, observing her. She was too engrossed with the flowers in her hands and the letter stuck amongst them.

_To my beautiful Calleigh,_

_Thank you for our gorgeous children _

_And thank you for being my wife and a fantastic mother to our children_

_Happy Mother's Day_

Horatio walked down the stairs and took the bouquet out of her hands. He lifted her head slightly as he held her chin in between his thumb and forefinger. Azure eyes met green. He leaned forward and took her lips in his, gently tugging her lower lips, eliciting a soft moan from her. He pulled away slowly and reluctantly. "Happy Mother's Day sweetheart." Calleigh smiled, only to be surprised by Horatio once again taking her lips in his. Biting on her lips gently as he cupped her face and raking his fingers through her hair, she pulled him closer to her. He pulled away, causing her to pout. "And Happy Birthday."

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Just to inform, I posted recently on Mother's Day to commemorate it but the alert system of FFN was down so it didn't send. So if you haven't read the previous chapter, go ahead and read it. Thanks! :)**

* * *

"Mr. Caine, how are you?"

"I'm good. Better than when we last met I must say."

"Any memories came back since we last met?" Horatio shook his head. He had been going for appointments and therapy to help him overcome his memory loss and also to keep track of his condition. As much as he hated coming to the hospital, he had to. For the sake of Calleigh and the children. He wanted to get better for them.

"Okay. Like I've said before, in Retrograde Amnesia, patients usually cannot remember what happened in the past. But with therapy and support from family, you could lead a normal life. They can help to restore the events in your brain but you cannot feel it. It's as if you're a blank sheet of paper. As far as I'm concerned you did have flashbacks right?" Horatio nodded. "Yours could be a mild Retrograde Amnesia because you're getting flashes of your past and you can feel the emotions running through your mind. You're making improvement."

"We're getting married." Horatio voiced out.

"To allow you to feel what it's like?" Horatio nodded again. "That's great. Because from what I know, through the therapy sessions, I think you've fallen in love with her. I can tell from the way you talk about her."

"Is it possible that I can remember how to do some stuff?"

"Like what exactly?"

"I went into the lab the other day. Without anyone noticing. There was a bombing case and I remembered some parts of it. What ignites the bomb and what parts were needed for a bomb."

"You pieced the pieces together didn't you?" Horatio was gasped softly, shocked that he knew about it. "She came to ask me the same question." A wave of betrayal hit him and his therapist noticed it in his eyes. "She figured it out Horatio. You were in the bomb squad before and besides, the rest of the team was stuck on it for a week." Horatio hung his head in shame. "There's no need to be afraid of it. Your case wasn't serious. Things that you do everyday remains. You did not lose all your memory. Just bits and pieces. So it is normal for you to remember how to do it. It's part of your motorskills. They don't lose itself." The therapist noticed a look of doubt on his face, as if he was thinking of an option.

"Thinking of joining back the force huh?" Horatio frowned. "I'm a therapist for a reason. I read body languages. If you want to go back, I can sign your release forms. You can go back for training and you can start all over."

"I don't know about that. It would be a huge step for me. It's a big decision."

"Think about it. Ask yourself what exactly you want and what you need."

"I think I'm going to ask her for her opinion. It's still a viable option isn't it?" The doctor smiled and nodded slightly.

* * *

Rick sat in front of his laptop, looking through all the details of Horatio's background; from the moment he joined the force. The document contained every detail of his entire career. He had gone to great lengths just to get those documents. He even helped Lisa clear any trails and traces of the Hermanos Españoles and their activities. There was no way any of them would get any access to it. He even hired someone to hack into the system to destroy anything that could lead Horatio's team or Mac's team to Hermanos Españoles. As he was scrolling through the documents, an arm wrapped around his shoulder. He rolled his eyes, knowing it was Lisa behind him. He couldn't run away. Both of them were making use of each other and both had something against each other. They had to stay together. It was either do or die.

"Can we just take him down already honey?"

"Lisa, I've told you. Patience. I went to the chief. It's not going to be easy. That man holds a torch for Horatio. These documents here, they're not going to do much. I have to do something to destroy his reputation in the chief's eyes."

He was going to take him down but he was going to do it slowly. He wanted Horatio to feel the pain and the humiliation. He wanted Horatio to be humiliated just like he was in the past when Horatio made him feel insignificant and made him look like a fool in front of many other people. He was going to make Horatio pay. He wanted to ruin Horatio's reputation by using his past against himself. His past about his father, his brother and his previous life as John Kelly. He was going to reveal that Horatio's father was in fact killed and it was not a self-defense as claimed. Charges were pressed against him but it was dropped for no apparent reasons. It wasn't recorded in the document. In his head, Horatio was dirty or worse, he has been dirty all these years and he was out to prove it.

"Whatever. Just get it done. You know what I want. And if you don't do it, just remember, I can do it on my own." Rick shook his head. He knew he had to do this fast. Then again, he couldn't do it fast. They would suspect something and he would be the first in their minds. But then again, it was going to be really difficult to take him down. Chief Mendelson really admired and respected Horatio. There has to be some other alternative plan that he could do.

* * *

Horatio stared lovingly at the woman in front of him as she was busy perusing the menu in her hands. He could not take his eyes off her, especially when she was wearing the floral dress that he bought for her. She looked perfect and he was enjoying the view. He loved the way she scrunched her nose when she found something on the menu that she did not like. He loved the way she pouted when he pressured her into choosing her dish. He loved everything that she does.

"It's a really nice place Horatio." Calleigh said, smiling, as she looked around the restaurant. The place was not that bright nor dim. It was just perfect. The interior designing has achieved its need for a modern styled Italian restaurant. There was even a soothing live jazz music in the background.

"I'm glad you like it." Just then, the waiter arrived with their orders and as they were done with their meals, a brief announcement left Calleigh gasping. Horatio smiled shyly when he saw her reaction. He had requested a song for her birthday, particularly 'You and I' by Michael Buble. This time, it was on her real birthday. Calleigh chuckled nervously as she saw him standing and approaching.

"May I have this dance?" He said as he held out his hand for her.

_Here we are_

_On earth together_

_It's you and I_

_God has made us fall in love_

_It's true_

_I've really found_

_Someone like you_

Hand on her hips, Horatio held her tight to him. Calleigh had her hand on his shoulder, around his neck, pulling him close to her. Cheek to cheek, they swayed gently to the rhythm of the music. Calleigh breathed in deeply, inhaling his scent as she leaned into him and raked her fingers through his soft, fluffy hair. Fresh, clean, yet musky, with a tinge of his own natural scent. Propping his head slightly on her shoulder, he smiled to himself. Her golden locks swayed along as their bodies moved as one, allowing him to feel the silken mass of hair on his cheek. As the song ended, they reluctantly pulled away from each other and he leaned in for a peck on her lips.

"Happy Birthday. And I love you."

* * *

As Calleigh lay on her husband's bare chest, her fingertips gently tracing shapes on his skin, she embraced the steady sound of his heart beating. It was the most peaceful and calming sound she had ever wished for. She felt him wrap his arms around her and just like the night he proposed to her, he was caressing her bare stomach slowly. His fingers were rough but he was always gentle. It was as if he treated her like the most fragile vase. She had always enjoyed their post-love-making session where they would just lay in bed together, enjoying the presence of each other.

"Thank you Calleigh." He whispered. He didn't realize that she was still awake.

"For what handsome?" Horatio was surprised but he could still manage a small smile.

"For making me the happiest man. Are you sure you're ready for this?" Calleigh raised herself a little to face him. She cupped his face gently and kissed him softly on his lips.

"When I promise you I would give you everything, let you experience everything…this is included in the package. I want you to know what it's like to be excited to see the baby's first ultrasound. I want you to be excited to go shopping for baby stuff with me. I want you to talk to the baby and feel the baby kicking. And most importantly, I want you to feel how it's like to hold your newborn after you cut his cord." Smiling ever so widely, Horatio flipped her on her back and leaned down on her, kissing her gently at first then brushed against her lower lip for entrance. He heard a moan emanating from her and he smiled slightly as his lips were on hers.

"I think we should get started then." Calleigh giggled adorably and he always adored her cute laugh.

* * *

"Sergeant Rick Stetler. What are you doing here again? I told you. I will not approve your request. Lieutenant Caine may be facing a few setbacks but that will not change my decision of letting him work in his office. If you're thinking of convincing me to lay him off, you can leave now." Rick laid a file on the desk.

"This would make you think twice."

" You've already shown me what you needed to show me the other day. Get out of my office and get this file out of my sight. And I don't want to see you here anymore if you're here to talk about Lieutenant Caine." Rick left Chief Mendelson's office with a grudge. A grudge he could no longer contain that he tore the file up into pieces and throwing it on the ground. If the chief wouldn't take his suggestion into consideration, then he might have to take matters into his own hands. How could the chief keep Horatio despite his inability to work in the lab. He was just doing paperwork and was not allowed to do any lab work. They were wasting resources when he could take over Horatio's job and might even do it better than Horatio.

* * *

"You didn't tell me you saw me in the lab." Horatio brought up the topic as Calleigh filled the children's bowls with spaghetti. She turned around to see him playing with his food, just twirling the fork on the plate.

"I didn't technically see you. I wasn't there physically. I figured it out. I puzzled the pieces up. I'm sorry. I didn't know what to say. I figured I would just let it be. Besides, it seemed like you did actually assembled the parts and we were stuck on that case. Figured we could use a helping hand." Horatio looked down on his plate, messing around with the spaghetti. Calleigh knew something was bothering him. "Is there anything bothering you or anything you want to say?" He looked up her while his hand was still busy twirling the fork.

"Nothing." He sighed.

Calleigh approached him and took the fork out of his hand. "Stop playing with your food and stop lying to me." Horatio hung his head and breathed out heavily. Instead of letting the issue go, Calleigh cupped his face and lifted it to meet his eyes. "You're thinking of going back aren't you?" Horatio avoided her eye-contact.

"I just want to do something. I don't want to sit around in that office." Calleigh sighed. She knew he was right. He needed to do something and if that was what he wanted to do, she had his back.

"Horatio, if you want to go back to the bomb squad, I will support you. It has always been your passion. And I did talk to your therapist. He's willing to clear you." Horatio now had the courage to look her in the eyes. "I have your back Horatio.

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Thank you for all your support and lovely reviews. Hope you enjoy the next chapter :)**

* * *

It had been week since Horatio started out in the bomb squad. That morning was his first day off and he found his bed empty. Calleigh was nowhere in the room or the bathroom but as he became fully awake, his sense of smell started to kick in. She was preparing breakfast. He took a quick shower and before heading down, he took a peek in the nursery to see if his children were awake. Indeed, when he peeked in, he saw both of them standing and holding on to the rails. As usual, they had their baby talks and it looked like they were serious. Horatius had his brows furrowed while his sister blabbered. Horatio laughed and it didn't register in his head that he laughed a little too loud until he saw them turned their attention to him. He knew he couldn't escape. Once the kids saw him, they started jumping in their cribs, excited to see him.

"Good morniiingg…What were you two talking about? Were you gossiping about daddy?" Horatio cooed as he approached them and kissed them both. They smelled of Strawberries and Cream. Calleigh had them showered. Both of them called out to their father and were reaching out for him to carry them out of their cribs. "Come here little people." Horatio lifted them into his arms and carried them down.

"Morning daddy." Calleigh greeted Horatio when she realized he was there in the kitchen with her.

"Morning." Horatio, with the children in his arms still managed to lean forward to give a peck on her cheek. "You know, I think they were having some serious talk up there. They looked really serious and were so into their conversation." He looked at his children and smiled. "They are going to be some serious babies in town. Aren't you sweethearts." He gave them a final kiss and put them on their high chairs.

As Horatio sat down and Calleigh placed his plate of pancakes in front of him, Calleigh spoke up. "Their birthdays are coming up soon. Like in a few weeks. You have anything in mind?"

"Give them another sister or brother?" Calleigh smiled but shook her head in disbelief.

"Apart from that. That would be for their second birthday."

"I have no idea. How about you plan them?"

"I was thinking of having a home party. Maybe with a theme. What do you think?"

"It's up to you. I really am not helping am I?" Horatio asked with a guilty look on his face. She smiled lovingly at him. She had always loved that look on his face. Innocent and guilty. Just like a young boy.

"It's okay. I know you're not into parties. How about a superhero theme? Since their father is a hero…"

"But this birthday is about them." Horatio interjected even before Calleigh could finish her sentence.

"Let me finish will ya handsome." Horatio nodded. "I was thinking of a superhero theme because I want them to always know that no matter what happens, they will always be special to us. And that no matter what weaknesses they have, it will always be compensated with their own unique strengths. They are our superheroes and we are theirs." Horatio raised his eyebrows at her, impressed by her little speech. "And it's their first birthday. I want it to be special and something that marks their milestone."

"Well I didn't think of it that way. I guess you're right. Just go ahead with the planning. I'll help when you need me." Calleigh smiled and her hand snaked to steal one of Horatio's bacon.

"Hey!" Horatio caught her hand quick. "That's mine. You made that for me. Why are you depriving me of my breakfast?" Horatio teased her cheekily as he held her hand.

"I'm depriving you of your breakfast?" Calleigh raised an eyebrow at him. "I have all the power to deprive you of your whole day's meal. You do realize that right?" Horatio looked at her sadly; like a lost little boy. He picked the piece of bacon and fed it to her lovingly. Calleigh then took his fork from his hand and started to feed him his breakfast. "You know I was just kidding right?" Horatio smiled coyly. Horatio turned away as Calleigh reached out her hand to his face to wipe something off. "Stay still Horatio."

"Mmma-ma." Just as Calleigh wiped the sauce off Horatio's face, she heard one of the twins call her. It turned out to be Horatius, with an empty plate in front of him. He was asking for more food. Calleigh had prepared for them bread, omelet and a few slices of peaches. He was a big eater, unlike his sister. However, when she looked over at her daughter, her plate was almost empty as well. They seemed to love the breakfast that she had prepared.

* * *

"Hey Rick, my plans okay? You're going to do this with me right…I mean seriously…this is your chance. You just need to secure things up. Get me a secure place and I'm back in action to avenge the lives of my family members."

"I'm out Lisa. Horatio transferred out. He transferred to the bomb squad and the chief just offered me the vacant position." Lisa squinted her eyes at him. She couldn't believe her ears.

"What are you trying to say? That you're out? That you're not going to do this with me? You're unbelievable Rick!" She grabbed him hard by his neck and pushed him to the wall. He started gagging.

"Wha-"

"You listen to me Rick Stetler. You know damn fucking well not to mess with me. I don't care what you say or what happens. You're going to do this with me. And if you're thinking of reporting this to anyone, you better think twice because I won't think twice about killing you. If you must know, all those things that Horatio suffered, was all my plan. You fucking mess with my family or myself, you're gonna fucking pay for it." She gripped his neck tighter. He was breathing hard and struggling. She was stronger than he thought.

"Fffine." Rick struggled to speak.

There was no point of regretting. He got himself into this trouble when he bailed her out. His only purpose for bailing her out was to threaten Horatio to step down from his position and resign as a lieutenant. His plan was to blackmail Horatio. He was about to carry out his blackmail when he was informed that Horatio had requested for a transfer. His plans backfired him. Now, after thinking it through, he realized that he had made a huge mistake involving Lisa. Not only was he involved with her romantically but also he was now her accomplice to whatever crime that she was going to commit. He stared blankly as she walked away. He doesn't know what she was planning but if what happened to Horatio was her plan, then Horatio would not be safe.

* * *

Horatio sat on the floor, legs stretched out, body leaned on the couch as Calleigh was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the family. He wanted so much to help her but the children weren't allowing him to. They refused to take a nap and someone had to look after them while they explore the house, crawling and walking. Especially when Alayna have already started to climb onto the furniture, they had to take extra precautions.

"Dada." Horatius called out while he held his empty milk bottle up.

"Nahh. Mummy is making your porridge. Wait alright. Just a little while more.." Horatio took the bottle out of his hand and replaced it with a toy car. Much to his surprise, the boy threw a tantrum then tossed the toy which hit his father. "You don't do that to daddy. You don't throw toys and hit people." Horatio was patient with his son and handed the toy back to him. Again, his son threw the toy back at Horatio and it hit his eye. "Okay that's enough. I've taught you not to throw toys at people. And I'm not going to hit you. You're going to sit in that playpen alone. With no toys." Horatio carried his son and placed him in the playpen. True enough, Horatio didn't leave any toys. He then picked his daughter who was climbing up the couch and left the boy on his own. He needed to be taught a lesson, how young he may be.

"Wait what? You left him there on his own? Oh poor boy." Calleigh was surprised that Horatio was punishing his son. It was usually her who punished the children. Horatio was more to the softer side with his own kids. "Leave Alayna here. You go check him out. Don't leave him too long." Horatio sighed. She was right. His son was barely a year old and shouldn't be left alone. He was after all only 11 months.

Horatio went back out to check on his son and found him standing in the playpen, cruising around the small space. He was trying to walk on his own without holding on to the bars. It was only on occasion that he held the bars. Horatio smiled to himself.

"Helloooo…" He cooed lovingly as he approached his son. The reaction he got was overwhelming. It was as if his son hadn't seen him in days. The boy was gurgling and bouncing up and down, reaching for his father. Horatio didn't pick him up. Instead, he unlatched the playpen and held his hand, allowing him to walk.

"Hello mummy. Look at me…" Horatio voiced as his son as he brought him into the kitchen.

"Aww…" Calleigh turned around and saw the boy smiling. It was that coy smile that Horatio has on his face as well. These two men in her life were carbon copies. She carried him and kissed the boy, causing him to giggle. "Daddy punished you because you were naughty huh.."

"Mmama.." He called out. "Mum-mum." Calleigh looked at Horatio.

"I think he's hungry. He asked for milk just now." He said nonchalantly.

"Oh my god. And you punished him for that?" Calleigh asked unbelievably. She raised her voice slightly.

"No I did not punish him for that. I punished him because he threw the toy at me." Calleigh glared at him. "What? I told him you were making his dinner."

"I can't believe you Horatio. Did you think he would really care that I was making his dinner? He's hungry." She shook her head then kissed her son. "My poor baby. Daddy didn't let you have your milk huh.." Calleigh went over to put him on his chair and took his porridge.

"You go take your own dinner. I'm going to feed our starving children."

"Well I'm sorry." Horatio hung his head and walked shamefully across the kitchen to take his dinner. Calleigh on the other hand, placed the bowls in front of both of them and handed them plastic spoons of their own. As expected, Horatius was so delighted that he dug the spoon into the bowl as soon as Calleigh handed him the spoon. As messy as it would get, Calleigh preferred them to feed themselves. His eyes were filled with joy as he fed himself. Upon intervals, Horatius would smile shyly at his mother and then feed himself again.

* * *

"I still can't believe you let our children starve." Calleigh spoke up as they lay in bed. They had put the children to sleep after playing with them.

"In my defense, I told him you were making his dinner and I didn't want you to waste it if he had his milk."

"Yeah and you think he cares. He's like you. He doesn't care. He must get what he wants." Horatio rolled his eyes at her and flipped her onto her back.

"And I will get what I want." He teased her and she giggled. He held her hands above her head and leaned into her neck, planting light kisses and brushing his tongue behind her ear. He smiled upon hearing her response.

"Stop teasing me Horatio." He let her hands go and rolled off her, propping himself on his elbow. Calleigh then initiated a kiss by cupping his face and motioning slowly towards him. As their pace increase and Horatio started to slip off her nightgown, the baby monitor started to make some noise. He groaned as he threw himself flat on the bed. Calleigh laughed at her husband. The crying stopped when Calleigh put on her robe but she insisted on checking on them. When she checked on them, they have gone back to sleep.

"Can we continue sweetheart?" Horatio's sultry voice startled her. With her back towards him, she couldn't see him but she knew that if she turned and looked at him, his eyes would glow with passion. Horatio reached to her shoulder and tugged at her robe, trying to slip it off her.

"Not here baby." Horatio sighed and slowly led her towards their bedroom. His hands were still trying to get the robe off her while his lips never left hers. The robe slipped off eventually, before they got to their room and Horatio pushed her against the door, kissing and caressing her soft, warm skin. Just when he opened the door to guide her to their bed, they heard another cry. Horatio sighed aloud. "Sorry baby." Calleigh leaned and gave him a final kiss before going back to the nursery.

"I just cannot get a break can I?" He groaned to himself.

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Thank you for all your support and lovely reviews. Hope you enjoy the next chapter. This would be my last update for the time being since i have exams coming up. I'll see you when i finish my exams! :)**

* * *

Calleigh waited impatiently for Horatio at the lobby. He was supposed to end an hour earlier but apparently, her watch said a different thing. She has been waiting for an hour, yet, Horatio was still nowhere in sight. They were supposed to meet to look for costumes for the twins for their birthday that weekend. Calleigh had already passed the invitation to the team and since it was going to be a superhero themed birthday party, they were requested to wear a costume. Of course, it wasn't compulsory. After waiting for so long, Calleigh decided to just give him a call. Just as she fished her cellphone out, Horatio appeared in his bomb disposal suit and head gear in his hand.

"Sorry sweetheart. We had a dry run. I'll meet you as soon as I've been debriefed and get out of this suit." Calleigh nodded. She was proud of him-proud that he made the decision to follow his heart and requested for the transfer. He seemed happier. After a while, Horatio appeared again. This time, in his suit.

"Shall we?" Calleigh chirped. She was excited to look for costumes for the birthday party. Horatio on the other hand, she could see that he wasn't as excited as her. He was never a fan of birthday parties in the first place.

"Can I not wear any costume? I mean…I look good enough with just a shirt." Horatio voiced out when they arrived at the costume shop. They had picked the children up from their daycare and brought them along so that they could test out the costume. Calleigh gave him a smile which tells him that he could never escape from wearing a costume.

"Come on Horatio. This is their first birthday. Let's make it fun and memorable. Please?" Her eyes were begging as well. Horatio gave in and agreed to her plan. Calleigh decided to try on the Batman and Robin costume for Horatius and Alayna. She wanted something significant and Batman was her ultimate choice. Batman had a sole purpose to purpose to avenge for justice and though all superheroes are almost the same, Batman was a little different. His power was his intelligence; just like Horatio; and Calleigh wanted that. She wanted their children to turn out to be just like their father.

* * *

"Ricky darling…Wake up. I made you breakfast."

"Okay you need to stop all this madness." Rick woke up feeling annoyed. He felt suffocated with Lisa being there in his home. He admitted that he was wrong in this but it only dawned upon him what kind of person she was when he got that position as a lieutenant. Before this, he was blinded by greed and envy towards Horatio. He wanted to humiliate Horatio and destroy him. But now, after seeing what Lisa had planned, he regretted everything that he had done.

"Remember what I told you?" He groaned and got up from his bed. "Did you get the place already?"

"No. Not yet." With that response, came a tight slap across his face.

"I told you I need that place quick! Are you dumb or something?"

"Can't you give that man a break? He's already suffered enough. You've made him lose his memory. He forgot about his family, his children..what else do you want?" Rick answered with sincerity in his voice. Yes, he hated Horatio for 'snatching' his position years ago but now that he was thinking rationally, maybe Horatio did deserve it. Especially after he looked through Horatio's arrest record, he was impressed and astonished. He had always known that Horatio was a good police officer but he didn't know that Horatio would go to a whole different level just to get the bad guys.

"Talk to me like that again and I will make sure I will kill you." He sighed in defeat. Surely this woman wouldn't let Horatio off the hook. She was revengeful. She was insane. He was torn between helping Horatio or protecting his own life. Or could he do both? He was in such a dilemma and he didn't know what to decide. He wanted to help Horatio so badly. He had children that needed him and it didn't feel right to do that to them.

* * *

Horatio sat on the edge of bed, contemplating whether to go out of the room or just stay. He knew that it was his children's birthday party but he didn't want to go out in that ridiculous costume that Calleigh made him wear. It was horrible enough to be wearing the costume but with other people seeing him wear it, was another burden on his shoulder. He was already feeling so suffocated wearing it. It felt so tight and rubbery. Not to add the heat he's feeling inside it.

"Here's my Batman." Calleigh entered the room with both Horatius and Alayna dressed in their mini Batman and Robin costume. She looked at Horatio and she knew what was going on in his mind. They have been arguing over the costume issue and it only ended up with them being upset with each other. She foresees the same arguments happening again. "You know Horatio, I can't force you to wear that costume. You can take it off and wear your suit."

Disappointed with Horatio, she left the children in the room and proceeded to prepare for the party. Being upset with Horatio does not do any good at all. She had no motivation to continue with the party that she had planned for almost a month. She was excited for it but Horatio just wasn't as excited as her. Horatio on the other hand, watched his children waddle towards him in their costumes. Their smile on their faces made everything else better. He realized that they both had his smile and he couldn't resist them. He could only imagine how Calleigh handled him. Watching his children waddle about with a smile on their face made him guilty. This party was about them and not about him. He should be reasonable enough to make it a memorable one for them. He smiled.

"Come here my batman and robin." Horatio called out to them as he stretched his arms out for them to reach.

"Dada. Baman."

"It's batman sweetheart. Bat-man." He placed them on his laps and decided that he would wear the costume for their sake. "Come on. Let's go see what mummy is doing."

With both Horatius and Alayna on his sides, holding on to his hand and walking, Horatio made his way to the backyard where Calleigh was preparing the table for the cake. They had already done the decorations the night before when the children had already gone to sleep. Calleigh had her back towards them and in her Wonderwoman costume, he thought she looked really gorgeous.

"Hi mummy. Your Batman and Robin are here." Calleigh looked up and turned. She beamed when she saw that Horatio was still in his Batman costume. "I figured I'd make their first a memorable one. So would you still accept this old Batman?" Calleigh smiled and approached him.

"Of course handsome." She lifted her hand to cup his face and leaned in for a quick soft, gentle kiss. "You'll always be my superhero. And you're not old."

One by one, the team arrived in their superhero costume. Calleigh had invited Yelina and Ray Jr. as well. When they entered the house, posters and logos of different superheroes were hung on the walls, along with the Batman-printed balloons. They even had the wall decal of a dark city, just like in Batman.

"Oh you guys. You look amazing." Calleigh admired their costumes. They had dressed up so well for the party. The team and Ray Jr. were dressed up as The Avengers team while Yelina was dressed as Superwoman. "Where's Alexx?"

"She's on her way with Henry and the kids. Where are our little ones?" Frank, dressed as Ironman asked as he looked around the house which was filled with colored balloons and ribbons. Horatio came into the room with the children and Horatius smiled upon recognizing his Uncle Frank. "There you are my little man. Oh no, you're a Batman now. Are you going to attack me? Oh no. I'm scared." Frank talked in a baby voice and tickled the boy, causing the him to laugh. He then lifted Horatius in the air, making him giggle so loudly.

Horatio welcomed the team and took the gifts from them, placing it in the living room. He was surprised at how sporting the team was. Frank was dressed as Ironman, Eric as Thor, Natalia as Black Widow, Ryan as Hawkeye and Ray Jr. as Captain America. It was amazing how they had replicated the actual character.

"Hey Robin. You look so pretty in this suit." Eric lifted Alayna and gave a kiss. "H, you look great. That's a cool cape. Did it come with the costume?" Horatio rolled his eyes.

"Yes it does. To match it with theirs, I had to put on the cape as well." Alexx arrived later on with her family, dressed as The Incredibles.

Once everyone was there, they proceeded to the backyard where Calleigh had already prepared the cake. Calleigh had ordered a two-tier cake, one tier for each of the children. It was a Batman and Robin themed cake, according to what they were wearing. Calleigh placed them in front of the cake on the high chair and took a picture of them both and a picture of everyone before cutting the cake. Horatio held Alayna's hand and Calleigh held Horatius'. When they started singing, both Horatius and Alayna mumbled to the tune but in their own language. Calleigh gave them their own plates and their own cakes while everyone else enjoyed the food they served.

"Okay come on, let's open up the presents." Calleigh spoke up when she saw that most of them were done with their food.

They made their way to the living room and sat together with Horatius and Alayna in the center. As Horatio walked away from his son to take the presents, Horatius started to whimper.

"I'll be right back Horatius. Just stay there." Horatio instructed the boy who was already standing. "Stay right there." He said again, holding up his finger to Horatius.

The first present they opened was from Natalia and Ryan. It was a set of blocks. Horatio opened the box and scattered it for them to pick and stack. They knew how to stack since Horatio bought them the stacking toys and taught them to stack it up. The next was from Eric and he bought both of them matching pair of boy/girl shirt that says 'My Twin Did It'. Horatio and Calleigh chuckled when they saw the shirts. It was the exact description of Horatius and his sister's relationship. They could see both of them blaming each other for their mistakes when the time came. They then opened the present from Alexx and family. They had gotten shape sorters and a few books for Horatius and Alayna. As they opened the last package on the table, the children were no longer concentrated on them. They were busy playing and stacking the blocks.

"Look sweethearts, Uncle Frank got you foam puzzle mat. You are going to have so much fun." Horatio tried to distract them from their blocks. Calleigh then brought down their presents for the children. It was pushtoys for both of them. Since they were learning to walk, Horatio and Calleigh decided that it would be the perfect gift. Just as they carried both of them to try out the pushtoys, the bell rang. Calleigh looked at Horatio and he looked back at her. They were not expecting anyone else. It was just them and the team. It was a personal and closed party.

"I'll check it out."

"No. You stay here with them. I'll go." Horatio said as he stood, walking towards the hallway. As he opened the door, he was shocked to see the man in front of him. "Rick? What are you doing here?"

"I heard it's the twins' birthday. I decided to drop by and give them something." Horatio looked at him skeptically. "Come on. It's just for them. I'm already here and I've already bought it. Can you just give it to them?"

"You want to come in?" Out of pure courtesy, Horatio invited him in.

"It's okay. I'm just dropping by to wish them a happy birthday. And to tell Calleigh that I'm not taking that position." Horatio's eyes widened in shock. Just then, Calleigh stepped into the hallway. Horatio was taking way too long.

"Rick?"

"Detective Caine." He acknowledged her. "Just on time. I'm just here to drop their birthday presents. And to tell you that I'm not taking that lieutenant position. It will go to you." Calleigh narrowed her eyes at him.

"I thought you wanted that position so badly?"

"There are some reasons that I cannot and will not mention. Some things are better left unsaid. I just wish you all the best. And send my regards to your team Lieutenant." Both Horatio and Calleigh were confused but at the same time, they were glad that Rick decided to leave them alone, finally.

Walking away from Horatio's house, Rick felt so guilty and so wrong. He had caused the entire problem. He was endangering Horatio's life and also his family by getting involved with Lisa. It was his biggest mistake. Now everything had backfired him. He was under surveillance round the clock. He was monitored by Lisa. Though he wanted so badly to expose her, he couldn't. Perhaps he could lead Calleigh's team to Lisa.

Calleigh and Horatio returned to the living room with gifts from Rick. He had bought them plush toys, one for each of them. As he laid the bag on the floor and took the plush toys out, he saw a card inside. He handed the toys to his children and let them play with it then took the card.

"What's that?" Calleigh asked.

"I don't know. Probably a birthday wish." He replied as his hands opened up the card and it read,

'The game has begun. Get yourself ready. This time, it will be game over for you.'

Horatio looked at his wife and back to the card. They were very wrong about Rick leaving them alone. "We need to find Rick."

"We'll find him H. We'll meet you guys at the lab." Eric spoke. "I'm going to Rick's. With Ryan and Frank. Cal, you and Nat go back to the lab." Horatio nodded. He couldn't do anything. He was no longer working with the Miami Dade.

"Be careful." All of the team left Horatio's house and went to get a change of clothes while the rest stayed to help Horatio with the packing.

Once Calleigh and Natalia arrived at the lab, they went straight away to the tech lab to run through Rick's cellphone and track his vehicle. Ryan, Frank and Eric on the other hand, they made their way to Rick's house, only to find the house empty. There was no one at home and they tried calling his cellphone, which to their dismay, was disconnected. They've lost him.

"Hey guys, his car is still here." Ryan shouted from across the street. He found the car unlocked and did a search on the car. He found a box full of documents. As he flipped through the documents, he realized that they were documents on Horatio's past records and records on the Hermanos Españoles. "It's him all along. He's the one fucking with Horatio!" Ryan screamed in frustration upon knowing that it was Rick Stetler all along.

They sat in the conference room, along with Horatio, despite him not working with them any longer. Chief Mendelson was there with them to assist them where ever he could. When Frank looked through the documents, it suddenly dawned upon him that he might also be the one who bailed Lisa out. But what difference was that going to make. They were probably working together and probably on the run together. He puzzled it together. Rick Stetler could be Emanuel Rodrigue who bailed her out. He sighed as he finished explaining to the team. They have searched Rick's house but there was nothing that could lead them anywhere. His laptop was gone. Every trace of him was gone as well.

* * *

"So you gonna keep me under here forever till I rot to death or something?" Rick asked as he tried to loosen the rope tying his wrists together.

"You're damn right I am. I'm not gonna let you ruin all my plans. And you know what…they won't find you." Lisa said, followed by a hysterical laugh. "They won't even get to me till it's too late. By that time, everything is over. This is gonna teach you a very valuable lesson Rick. Do not ever be greedy. See where it lands you?" She smirked. "I still cannot believe you fell for that shit. I was never letting you free. Even if I do, you'd barely be alive. You'd actually beg for me to end it or you'll end it yourself. Now you're gonna sit there while I plan for this stuff. It might take a few months though..for me to put everything together. For it to go smoothly as planned. I'm very careful and meticulous. Watch and learn Ricky. You might need it if you survive."

Rick glared at her but deep down he knew he wouldn't survive this. He might get out alive but guilt would eat him alive. If not, prison would. He felt sorry for Horatio. He didn't even get to warn him. He just had to hope Horatio and his team could figure something out and stay safe and alive.

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Thank you for all your support and lovely reviews. Hope you enjoy the next chapter. Apparently I cannot stay away from this story. I just wanted to continue writing. ehehe :P**

* * *

**-Six months later-**

"What are you doing?"

Lisa turned around as she holstered the gun on her right side. She smirked, not saying anything at all. Months passed by and she had already gotten used to Horatio's schedules. She had been studying his family and his routine. Every morning, he would drop by the daycare to drop off his children before making his way to the office and it was also usually him who picked them up when Calleigh had to work a little late. Today was the day Calleigh worked late and she has had it all planned out. It would go as planned.

"Seriously woman!" Rick screamed as he tried to get off the cuffs that have been binding him to the bedpost.

"Six months Rick. Six months. Did they find you? They didn't! Because they thought you were the one coming up with all these plans to destroy Horatio. I am nowhere in the plan." Lisa laughed hysterically. "Though Rick…I am pretty sure they suspected that you were working with me. But too bad Ricky. They probably think that you ran to escape."

As she turned away to leave, she glanced back at him. "Oh, please prepare yourself for your new companions."

"What do you mean companions?" She smiled slyly.

"Be prepared to take care of them and handle crying babies."

"What the fuck Lisa!" Rick spat in anger.

As evening came and Horatio prepared to wrap up and clock out, Lisa was waiting for her moment to strike. Before clocking out, Horatio made a phone call to his wife to confirm that he would be picking the twins up from the daycare.

"Horatio, make it quick okay. I'm dropping by the bridal gallery to take the developed photos. They're asking us to choose some of the photos we want."

"Alright sweetheart. I'll see you at home. Love you." Calleigh smiled on the other end of the call.

"Love you."

Horatio then made his way to pick his children up and as he arrived at the door, he could see his children running towards him and smiling ever so widely. He knelt and opened his arms wide to welcome his running children.

"Daddy!"

"Hello sweetheart. How did you enjoy yourselves?" Horatius being the shy one just smiled coyly.

"Ood. Ches bad."

"Horatius bad?" She nodded and smiled. Horatius on the other hand, continued smiling shyly. "Come here. Give daddy a kiss." He said as he pointed to his cheek. Horatius and Alayna leaned forward and gave a kiss on both their father's cheek. Horatio carried them in both his arms and walked towards the car. "Do you love daddy?"

"Wove daddy." His daughter was the outspoken one compared to his son. Maybe Calleigh was right. Horatius was exactly like him.

"How about you Horatius? Do you love daddy?" His son looked at him with his big blue eyes and smiled. "Do you love daddy?" Horatius giggled. "Say love."

"Wove." He whispered into his father's ear. Horatio chuckled at his son's shyness.

As he reached the car and opened the car door to put the children into their seats, he felt a cold piercing sensation at the back of his neck.

"Put them in and do as I say or I will blow your brains out in front of your children." As he placed his children and secured the safety belt, Horatio turned his head slightly. "Don't you fucking dare. I swear I will not think twice to blow your brains out. Now get in the car, toss your cellphone out. Now." Horatio did as she said to ensure the safety of his children.

"What do you want from me?" He asked as he drove towards an unknown destination.

"I want you to know how I felt all these years. I want you to feel what I felt." Not even a single thing registered in his mind about this woman beside him. There was no memory of her at all.

"I don't even know who you are."

"Fuck you Horatio!" She spat at his face. "I will make you remember who I am and what you did to me!" As he drove, he kept glancing at the mirror to check on his children. They were fairly quiet, not making as much noise as he would have expected. They were just playing with their soft toys. He was sure Calleigh would start worrying when he didn't make it home on time. He had to count on that.

"Sad isn't it? That you don't have a gun to reach out to…We'll see how you're going to protect those two rascals." Horatio growled to himself.

"They're not rascals you bastard."

"Seriously you want to mess with me? Haven't you learned enough from what happened months ago?"

Horatio kept driving and driving towards an unknown place, thinking of any plans that could help them get out of that situation. Nothing he came up with that could help them. She had a gun while he had only his body to defend them. He still had to think of his children. He needed to ensure their safety as well. It seemed that he had to do as she said. To keep driving until she told him to stop. As they drove further, Horatio realized that he was going further away from the city and driving towards Opa Locka. A few more turns and she asked him to stop the car.

"Why here?"

"You're a cop. I'm sure you know why. Now get out and take those rascals." She held the gun to his head while he picked his children up and out of the car. He took their bags along with him. He held them tight to his chest, not allowing them to see what was happening. They didn't need to see what was going on. "Walk!"

As soon as he reached in front of the door, Lisa opened it for him and pushed him to enter. Horatio looked around and studied the place. Dark. Dim. Dusty. Dirty and it smelled like dead rats. Across the room, he saw what looked like a bed with a man tied to the bedpost. The room was too dim-lighted that he couldn't identify the man on the bed. The only light that was in the room was a small table lamp that was barely shining bright. The man looked like he was already dead until he moved and raised his head. To his ultimate surprise, Horatio recognized the man. It was Rick Stetler.

"I'm sorry Horatio." Horatio was speechless. So Rick was a victim as well.

"Go over there and meet your new housemate. And those rascals better shut the hell up." Horatio frowned. Horatius and Alayna were not even making any noise.

Horatio went over to the bed and placed his children gently. He gave them their soft toys and let them play with it while he studied the surrounding again. He was thinking of a plan to escape and he needed to find a way. Rick looked at him and he knew what he was thinking about. He sighed. There was no use thinking of an escape. They cannot escape with Lisa looking over them like a hawk.

"I did this to you. And I'm sorry. I bailed her out to get you. But it backfired me." Rick spoke up in the midst of all the silence. Horatio glared at him but he knew there was no point being angry. It wouldn't help them escape. They couldn't even work together with his wrists cuffed to the bed. His first thought was to leave the twins behind with Rick but if Lisa caught him; his children would be dead.

"Addy." Horatius called to his father. "Mmama." Horatio looked over to Rick and back to his son. He wanted his mother. It wasn't a frequent occasion but Horatius would sometimes ask for his mother and this was one of the rare occasions.

"Mummy's not here buddy. Play with daddy okay?" Horatio searched for toys in their bag and thankfully he found his toy car.

"Addy. Mmama." Horatio sighed.

"Daddy. Milk." Alayna spoke. She had learnt to communicate faster and her pronunciation was much better than her brother. Horatio took the bottle from their bag and handed both of them their bottles. The daycare had always helped to make a new set of milk in case of them wanting milk in the car.

"Get up Horatio." Lisa approached them with a baseball bat in her hands. Horatio glared at her. "Get up I say!" At the loud voice, Horatius started to whimper. "You better shut that rascal up or I'm going to put him to sleep my way."

"You hurt me. I don't care what you do to me. Just don't hurt them."

"Being the hero are you?" Horatius was beginning to cry a little bit louder. Horatio had to pick him up and cradled him gently.

"They don't deserve this. I don't remember what I did to you but whatever it is, if you want me, just take me. Just hurt me. Not them. They're innocent." Lisa leaned towards Rick and uncuffed one of his wrists.

"Get the other rascal." Horatio turned around and nodded towards Rick, allowing him to hold Alayna. He spoke gently to his daughter to go to whom he called Uncle Rick. He couldn't handle two crying babies in this situation and he didn't need Alayna to start crying as well. As Horatius started to calm down and stopped crying, Horatio placed him back on the bed with his sister, beside Rick. He just hoped that his son wouldn't start crying again. He knew how much his son hated strangers. He hoped Alayna could just balance it with Rick. At least there was a familiar face with him.

"What do you want?"

"First, I'm going to put those little rascals to sleep. How about that? I have 4 tablets of Lorazepam. Do you think it can shut them up? That's the most I can give them. I need the rest for myself and for you." Horatio looked at her and the feeling of sheer panic came flooding.

"I told you not to hurt them! I'll take it for them." She smirked with an evil thought running in her mind.

"You won't take these for them. How about we trade? One tablet for 5 swings?" She raised the bat for him to see. Horatio stared at her fiercely but in his mind, he knew he might have to decide to do it. He glanced at his children who were laying in Rick's arm, drinking up their milk and he knew he had to do it.

"Fine. I'll do it." She chuckled.

"Unbelievable. You're really going to take 20 damn swings for those rascals huh." 20. It was 20 swings that he was going to get. 5 for each tablet.

"They're my children. Not rascals. And I will do what it takes to protect them." At that came the first swing of the bat. It hit him right at his ribs. The pain shot through his body and he felt his legs buckling. He held his palm against the wall to help support him.

"No rest time. 20 swings straight. Oh. One down by the way." She sneered.

And then came the second swing. It came over and over, not allowing him to recover from the previous swing. It came straight after the previous one. It hit him on the ribs, on his chest, at the back of his body, near his kidney area and it almost killed him when it hit him on the groin. 20 down. Finally. Feeling all sore, he had to walk back to the bed. Gently, he sat on the bed. The pain was unbearable.

"What is she going to do Rick? You've been here for 6 months with her. I'm sure you know what she was going to do."

"She's going to kill you Horatio. But slowly. I don't know how but she wants you to suffer the way you made her suffer. And don't ask me what you did. I don't know." Horatio sighed. He looked over at his son and daughter playing with each other. "They're angels you know. They are amazing."

"I know Rick. And I'm glad they're mine." Horatio stared lovingly at his children and smiled. "That is why I will never allow anyone to hurt them. They won't pay for my sins." Rick hung his head, ashamed of himself and his childish behavior before this. Alayna crawled towards her father and leaned onto him. Despite the pain, Horatio lifted her closer to him and let her lean onto his body. Realizing that his sister was no longer with him, Horatius started to sob.

"Come here baby. Your sister is here." Horatio held his hand out. "Come here with daddy." Horatius then stopped sobbing and his face lit up with a smile. He crawled towards his father. Just minutes into the rest, Lisa came back with a belt in her hands.

Upon seeing the belt in her hand, Horatio was brought back to his childhood. The chase, the run, the hiding from the monster that never gave up. The beatings, the slashing, the whippings. Everything came back to him. He could hear the monster running after him and shouting at him. He could feel the monster dragging him out from under the bed to continue whipping him on his body till his skin broke and blood seeped through his clothes. He felt shivers down his spine.

"I know your past Horatio. I've seen every inch of your body and I know what happened. You can't run away from me." She whipped the belt in the air, creating the sound that he dreaded the most. The whooping sound. "I'll bring you back to your past and make you remember every single thing. Now strip!" Horatio still could not remember who this woman was or what he did to her to deserve this.

"Fuck Lisa! Stop it will you! What the hell do you want from him!" Rick shouted and Lisa rushed to his side, pressing the gun to his head.

"Shut the fuck up or I will kill you! Get those fucking bastards and they better not start crying." As she walked towards Horatio, she shouted again. "Strip dammit! Or I'm going to inject those rascals with this!" She held up a syringe in her hand. He didn't even know what was inside it. Rick gasped when Horatio slid his shirt off. The red and purplish bruising was covering his pale skin. He could see the scars from whatever hell he suffered during his childhood and he felt guilty that he was the cause of all this.

One whip came across Horatio's back and he hissed, trying to contain his screams. Flashbacks of his father chasing him came flooding. The burning sensation brought all the feelings that he felt when the monster whipped him. Just like in his past, he could feel his skin tearing open and he felt the blood dripping down his body.

* * *

Calleigh sat on the couch with the album on her lap. She had been waiting for Horatio for the past hour. She decided to look through the album and wait for a few more minutes before calling him again. She had called him once but there was no answer. He might have dropped by the mall to get something for the children. It was his habit to spoil them. As she browsed the bridal photos, she smiled to herself. Horatio had always been very charismatic and very handsome. Especially in a tuxedo. Different from their first wedding shoot, Horatio wore a black tuxedo compared to a white one. She chuckled as she came across a photo of him alone, posing as if he had to jump. She remembered arguing and begging him to do it. It turned out really well and really good-looking. She glanced at the clock and she was getting more impatient. Horatio was taking too long. She tried calling him again but there was still no answer. She decided to drive over to the daycare centre to see if Horatio had picked them up. It was already more than an hour that she had been waiting.

* * *

Horatio knelt on the ground, leaning forward and hands on the ground. He couldn't take the pain any longer. He could feel himself giving way. He could feel himself dropping dead any moment. The pain was at its extreme. The burning sensation. The sting on his skin. The soreness on his body. He tried to think of something else to keep his mind away from the pain. Even the psychological method wouldn't work anymore. Lisa came forward with the syringe in her hand and plunged it through his skin, pushing whatever liquid that was in it into his system.

"Just a little anesthetic for you." In his mind, he wanted to push her away but his body did not cooperate with him. He was too in pain to do anything. Whatever that she just injected into him, he just hoped that was really anesthetic.

* * *

Calleigh reached the daycare only to realize that it has already called it a day. There was no one there. Calleigh called Horatio for one last time and as she heard the ring, she heard the ringtone that Horatio used coming from nearby. She looked around frantically and saw the light flashing from around the bushes. A wave of panic and fear came rushing into her mind. She took the phone and it was really his cellphone. Immediately, she called Eric to meet her at the daycare. Something bad was happening.

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: I just had to give another update. I needed to share really. I hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

"How's the anesthetic working for you?"

"It's not anesthetic was it?" She smiled at him.

"I'm glad you can still feel. Is little Horatio rising up to occasion then?"

"You bastard!" Horatio spat in her face. As quick as his spit landed on her face, she grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled his head up. The moment he pulled his head up, he could feel the rush of nausea hitting him.

"Talk to me like that again and you'll never live to see your children again."

"I'm not going to anyway. So what's the point." He retorted. He felt himself getting warmer. He felt his heart pumping faster. He could feel the blood rushing through his veins and he felt his ears burning up.

"So why isn't my little Horatio rising up to occasion? I remember the times we had years ago Horatio. It was supreme. You know…no one could ever beat you in that area. You were the best lover in my entire life." Unguarded, Horatio felt himself being stabbed at the neck with what felt like a syringe. "Make it rise."

"If you think I'm going to satisfy you, you can screw yourself!"

"Oh no darling. You're not going to satisfy me. You're going to satisfy yourself honey."

* * *

Calleigh and Eric canvassed the area but found nothing suspicious. She was already in tears. Her husband and her children were missing and it seemed as if history was going to repeat itself. Eric tried to calm her down when he saw the surveillance camera.

"Calleigh, I think you may need to call up the principal or whoever in charge. There's a surveillance camera. Maybe we can get something off it."

Ryan and Natalia ran through the video recordings and saw nothing out of the ordinary until Horatio's car drove into the lot. Everything seemed normal. Calleigh walked into the tech lab only to see her husband walking with her children in his arms and Horatius kissing his father. Tears started to form in her eyes. It was then that all hell broke loose when she saw a woman approaching them and held a gun to Horatio's head. She panicked. Her husband and children could be dead by now. It had been 3 hours. She was starting to feel light-headed and held on to Ryan for support.

"Calleigh, come on. Take a seat. And have something to eat." She shook her head. "You can't run on fumes Cal. We just finished our shifts. You need something to keep yourself running." Thinking of her children and husband, she obliged.

* * *

Horatio panted and breathed hard. His heart pumped so hard he could hear it beating. He was breaking out in sweat. His sweat dripped onto his body, and through his torn skin. It burned. He felt so exhausted all he wanted to do was sleep but the more he wanted to fall asleep, the more she injected him with the fluid, which to his suspicion was Viagra. What was worse was that she wanted him to continue. He didn't think that his heart could take it anymore. He felt hot and cold at the same time. He felt light-headed and dizzy. He felt nauseated. He felt confused.

* * *

A ding came up. As confused as they might be, they opened up the e-mail that came through. Calleigh could not take it when she saw the video that was emailed to them. It was of Horatio getting beaten down. She ran to the toilet and locked herself in the cubicle. She felt sick to her stomach that she needed to see her husband like that. She started throwing up. Ryan ran Horatio's GPS through the system to triangulate the location of the car but it was going to take an hour or two. In the meantime, they had to wait and pray nothing would happen to the children and Horatio.

"Calleigh you alright?" Natalia entered the toilet, following Calleigh. There was no answer from her. It was just the sounds of her throwing up. She was getting worried for Calleigh.

* * *

Lisa uncuffed Rick's other wrist to help bring Horatio back to the bed. He was limp. He was barely awake but Lisa wouldn't stop injecting him with the fluid and making him aroused.

"Lisa stop it. That man can't take it anymore. What the hell man." As a man himself, he knew that it was too much. There was only so much a man could handle and this was it. That was extreme. One's heart wouldn't be able to take it with that much dose in his system.

"He's going to die soon. Chill man."

"Why are you doing this to him? You've done enough to him already."

"Because all these while, my life was destroyed by him! He made sure my dad's organization fell. My father died of a heart attack because of that! Then he exploded the warehouse. My fiancée was in there! We were getting married in a month and Horatio had to destroy that for me. I loved Enrico but he couldn't live with himself being disfigured. He didn't want to start a new life with me. And here…Horatio is married happily with two children. Do you know how badly I wanted kids? My own kids with Enrico? Because of him, everything was taken away from me. If I can't have a family and a life I wanted, so can't he. And now, he got what he deserved."

"And you're gonna let two innocent children live their lives without their father?"

"Well I can't have children with Enrico. So be it. I could've had my children but now I can't. So I don't give a fuck."

"You still can have your own children! Just that you don't want to. You're stuck in your past Lisa! While you can still have your own child, they're never going to have their father if he dies. And that's on you." Lisa chuckled aloud, not caring about what Rick just said to her.

Lisa turned slightly and Rick took that opportunity to knock her down by a kick to her head. Just one kick needed to bring her down. He checked her pulse and she was still alive. He quickly and frantically looked for a cellphone in her pockets to call out for help and to call for the team. After 6 months, he was finally able to free himself from the human cage. Rick got through to the team and reported the location to them while keeping an eye on Horatio. He scanned the room and went over to the desk to check what was being injected into Horatio's system. To his utter surprise and disappointment, it was one hell of a dose that she had been injecting into Horatio. He was lucky to have survived that long. It was a combination of cocaine, ketamine and viagra. When he heard something, he turned and saw Horatio seizing up.

"Come on Horatio. Just a few more. Help is coming. You already beat one hell of a dose and you're still not dead yet. You better not die now. Just think of those angels who need you. Come on man." Rick tried holding Horatio's head so he wouldn't shake so much that it would cause further brain injury.

Calleigh and Eric rode in one car while Ryan and Natalia rode in another. Frank made his way as well. They sped their way through to get to them as fast as they could.

Rick on the other hand, while trying to keep Horatio's condition under control, he did not realize that Lisa had gotten up from her unconscious state. "Hey you little fucker. You were really testing me huh. You know what maybe I should shoot those rascals first and finish with you." She had the gun raised, pointing it towards Horatius. She shook her head to clear her blurry vision and in a spur of the moment, Rick tackled her down, protecting the two toddlers.

Lisa struggled, kicking him on his stomach and pushing him away, trying to escape his deathly grip on her neck. With gun in her hand, she decided to put it to use and as they were wrestling on the ground, with Rick trying as hard as he could to strangle her, Lisa pulled the trigger and shot him through his chest. She quickly rose and held her gun, pointing it towards the boy. She cocked the gun and sneered.

"You'll be meeting uncle Ricky soon sweetie." Right on time, Calleigh and the team made it to the scene but they were too late when they heard the gunshot. Along with the Opa-Locka police, they rushed inside and broke the door down.

As she entered, Calleigh saw the woman standing over her children, with gun pointed to them. Without thinking twice, Calleigh put two bullets to her back and once she dropped, Calleigh rushed to Horatio's side. He was seizing badly and foam started to form inside his mouth. Before she could even say anything or study his condition, the medical team rushed immediately and carried Horatio out, making their way to the nearest hospital, Jackson Memorial Hospital.

"Mmama." Calleigh turned and quickly ran to her children, wrapping her arms around them tightly.

"God baby. I thought I lost you two." She kissed them over and over again, not wanting to let them go.

"Calleigh come on." She nodded and carried her two children. She held their heads to her chest. They didn't need to see the two dead bodies on the ground. She glanced over at Rick's dead body. She sighed. They had arrived too late to save him. She could see the scratches on his arms and face and she knew that he had tried to protect Horatio and her children. She shook her head, clearing her mind. She needed to prioritize Horatio and her children right now. As she took a step, Horatius called her out and pointed to the bed.

"Ickey." Calleigh smiled. She had forgotten to take his Mickey Mouse plushie along. Eric had helped picked the toys for them while they made their way out of the place. Calleigh couldn't stand being in that room anymore. The coppery smell of the blood made her want to throw up. The smell in the room was just horrible. It was clear that it had never been cleaned and along with the musky scent, she felt nauseated but tried her best to keep it down.

At the hospital, the team had already made their way and was already waiting at the waiting room for any news concerning Horatio. Calleigh on the other hand, made her way to gift shop and bought a pair of clothes for Horatius and Alayna. The smell of the room had lingered on their clothes and Calleigh couldn't stand it. She went to shower them and changed them into a fresh set of clothes.

The team waited for hours yet there was still no news on Horatio. Eric made a call to Mac's lab to tell him that everything was over and briefly told him about Horatio's situation. Hearing the news, Mac was glad. Yet at the same time, he was worried for Horatio and Calleigh that he decided to fly over to Miami to visit them. They waited and waited until a man in scrubs appeared before them.

"How is he?" The doctor looked at them, not saying a word. They knew it was bad.

"He's resting. But I'm not going to lie to you. It doesn't look good. The beatings he took, ruptured his spleen and it shattered some of his ribs, puncturing his lungs quite badly. It was beyond reparable." He took another deep breath. "His kidneys were severely bruised as well and we couldn't save one of them. The drugs in his system have sort of destroyed his liver."

"What do you mean by sort of?"

"It's failing gradually." Calleigh almost lost her balance but Eric managed to grab hold of her. "And…" The doctor sighed. "His heartbeat is not up to standard. The drugs have literally caused his system to shut down and with the adrenaline pump on top of that, it just worsened his situation." He looked over at the blonde woman whom he assumed was his patient's wife and he smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

"And there's nothing you can do about it?"

"I'm afraid there's nothing else we can do about it. We've tried our very best. We don't think he would make it out. I would suggest you prepare yourself for the worse." The doctor looked at Calleigh with sorry eyes and turned to leave the grieving team.

"How long?"

The doctor stopped dead at his tracks and turned back to them. "I'm sorry?"

"How long does he have?"

"We don't know that definitively. It could be hours, it could be days before his system shuts down completely." At that moment, Calleigh felt her world spinning. Eric caught her just on time before she could fall and brought her to the couch, allowing her to rest and compose herself. The team could only afford to look at each other and tried to stay strong for Calleigh. The big Texan carried Horatius and Alayna out because there was simply too much tension in the room.

* * *

**Ahhh! Panicking yet? What's going to happen next?! :P**

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the previous chapter. Thank you for all your great reviews. :)**

* * *

Calleigh entered the room, trying with all her might to control her tears. The room was silent. Dim-lighted. The only sound she could hear was the beeping of the machines and Horatio's heavy breathing. Tears were falling but she quickly wiped it off, not wanting anyone to see her like that. She may be human but she needed to stay strong for both herself and Horatio. She approached him slowly, absorbing the sight in front of her. This time, she could not control her emotions anymore. Horatio had wires all over him. He had a gas mask on. His face was bruised and there was no part of his body that was not covered with bruises.

She looked over at all the machines. Time stood still for her at that moment. His blood pressure was low and his heartbeat was not up to expectation. The doctor have already told her about his condition but she was never prepared for this. The doctors have tried their best to help him but she knew there was only so much a doctor could do. She had expected them to save her husband but she knew better. She knew his damage was beyond repair. She has never seen Horatio like this. She prayed and hoped that there would be a miracle that Horatio was going to pull through this but she knew better. They all knew better. There was only so much that a person could handle. Never did she expect that she would lose him like this. Tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

The thought of losing him once again frightened her. She always thought that they would have a lifetime together. She always thought they would be able to raise their children together. But she was wrong. She was losing him. He was fighting a losing battle and she, being in denial, hoped that he would win it. She took a seat by his bedside and took his hand in hers.

"Hey…I know you can hear me." Calleigh felt a lump in her throat. She couldn't continue but she needed to. "I know how hard...how hard you're fighting right now. The doctor said there was only so little chance that you would get through this...They told me to be prepared." She paused again. "I always thought I would lose you to a bullet. But I was wrong…"

Calleigh wanted to run away and never to come back. She never thought she would have to say this. She always thought Horatio was invincible.

"But I want you to prove him wrong. I need you to prove him wrong. I am sure you can get through this. I need you Horatio. What am I supposed to do without you...You promised to be with me forever and that we would grow old together, watching our children grow up." She paused. She knew she was in denial. Horatio was never going to make it this time. His liver was failing, his kidneys were damaged and his heart was giving way. She had been warned and was told to prepare herself.

She moved herself onto his bed and sat beside him. She took his hand gently, placing it on her stomach. "Remember when I told you that I want you to experience everything including being a father? I kept my promise Horatio. You can't just leave me here alone. I can't do this on my own. You have to get through this. You have to be there for the birth of our new baby." She gently traced circles on the back of his hand.

"You always said nothing can bring you down…Horatio please. You're going to be a father again. Could you please fight for your little one? For him. Please Horatio. He needs you. Your children need you." He was not twitching. He was as still as a log. She let go of his hand and laid her head on his chest. She needed to hear his heart beat. Even if it was for the last time. As time passed by, her eyes were getting heavier and she ended up falling asleep on his chest.

The team watched from outside the room. Eric, Ryan, Frank, Natalia and Alexx were all outside, watching the heartbreaking moment. They knew how serious their Lieutenant's condition was and they knew that he was not going to make it out. The torture he suffered was more than what a man could ever handle. Alexx had talked to the doctors in charge of Horatio and she had been told that his organs were failing due to the amount of stress endured. His kidneys were battered severely and had caused massive internal bleeding. His liver too, was failing due to the excessive amount of stimulants that have been fed to him and because he suffered acute liver failure a few years before due to his suicide attempt, the stimulants had further damaged his liver condition. It was all to protect his children. He took all the beatings for them.

Days passed by but his condition never got better. Instead, it worsened. His heart was starting to fail on him. He had gone into a cardiac arrest twice. He was in and out of consciousness, not being able to fully take notice of his surroundings. Calleigh had thought of ending it all for him because it hurts too much to see him in pain. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She loved him too much to let him go. As she sat and stared into the blank space, thinking of what the future might be like without him, she felt a grip on her hand.

"Hey…" His voice raspy, he managed to call to her and smile weakly.

"Are you in pain? I can get a nurse in." He shook his head slightly. "Okay. But drink some water alright.." Horatio just smiled at her. She wanted to cry badly. She wanted to breakdown. But not in front of him. She couldn't do that to him.

"Don't cry." Calleigh nodded but there was only so much she could do to control her emotions. "We knew this was coming right?" She knew what he was trying to do. He wanted to comfort her but it was not working. How could it work? She loved him so much. How could she accept that he might die and she might have to go on with life without him?

"Don't do this to me. To us." There was silence afterwards. Horatio only managed to smile and when he slowly shut his eyes, panic arose in her. She searched his face; she searched for any signs that he could be gone. Calleigh gently cupped his face with one hand and checked his pulse on his neck with her other hand. His eyes opened wide.

"I'm still here sweetheart." Calleigh leaned forward and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "How long do I have?" Calleigh took in a deep breath. She didn't know how to answer that question. The doctors had already told her the most he could sustain was a week before his system failed completely.

"We don't know." Horatio frowned. He knew. He knew his time was limited. "A few days." Calleigh choked on her words. "Before your system shuts down." He nodded weakly but still managed to give her his boyish shy smile. Calleigh slowly reached out to his hand and gently pulled it towards her. Confusion was clearly expressed on his face until he realized that she placed it on her abdomen. It was then it dawned upon him how the world had been unfair to him. It was a clear definition of unjust.

"I'm sorry." His voice was rough. He was choking on his words. A tear fell through the corner of his eye.

His only wish was to experience the pregnancy with her and to watch the birth of their new baby but it seemed that he would never get to live that dream. Life has taken everything away from him. Just when he was about to start a new life with her and rebuild a whole new memory with her, it had to be taken away from him. Calleigh let his hand lingered on her abdomen for a while, allowing him to embrace what it was like to feel a life growing in her. Under different circumstances, they would be celebrating but now, the only emotion that she could feel was a feeling of sorrow and anguish.

They were supposed to be happy. They were supposed be celebrating this baby. They were supposed to be at home where she surprised him with the news and they would be embracing each other. However, here they were, on the other end of their expectations. This was indeed a true definition of the quote 'An end of one's life is the beginning of another'. As that thought crossed her mind, tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Don't cry…" Horatio pleaded as his thumb gently caressed her abdomen. "Can I meet him?" Calleigh looked up at him. She knew what he was asking. That made her heart break into pieces. Calleigh nodded silently, agreeing to his request. She would have to call for an OB/GYN to do it in Horatio's room. Although she had only found out about the pregnancy and was scheduled for an appointment in a week, she hoped any doctor in that hospital would make this an exception.

"How is she taking it?" Mac asked as he and Eric made their way out of the airport. Eric had informed him about Horatio's condition out of courtesy. Besides, Horatio and Mac were good friends. So was Calleigh. Stella tagged along with Mac.

"She's been with him all day long."

"What about Horatius and Alayna?" Eric sighed.

"They're with us. It depends on our shifts really. We can't bring them to the hospital often." Mac nodded, understanding the situation. Of course, the children were too young to be in the hospital. They didn't want to expose them to the virus and whatever disease lurking around.

"Well, while we're here we can help you guys look after them. At least they don't have to keep changing homes. Besides, we're staying at Horatio's and Calleigh's. That's the least we could do." Eric considered his options. He didn't want to impose on them but then again, they were staying at Horatio's and that would be a better environment for both children. In the end, he agreed to their plan.

"Ready?" Calleigh turned to look at Horatio. Once he was ready, Calleigh nodded and they proceeded. Her heart was pounding hard. She was nervous about this. They had placed a bed right beside his bed, with the monitor in between them. As the doctor spread the gel on her stomach, she reached out to his hand and slipped her fingers in between his, holding it tight.

"Here we go…" She muttered under her breath.

"Alright…There we are…" He pointed out the image to them but when Calleigh turned to look at Horatio, his eyes were shut. She tightened her grip on his hand, causing him to shake himself awake. He looked over at the monitor and he saw the miracle of life that he and Calleigh had created. A tear made its way through the corner of his eye. He couldn't watch it grow. He couldn't watch it enter the world. He couldn't even be there when Calleigh fights to bring him into the world. He wouldn't get to meet his little one.

Eric, Mac and Stella arrived at the hospital and walked towards Horatio's room. To their ultimate surprise, they saw Calleigh on the bed with a doctor doing an ultrasound. Stella gasped as her hand flew across her mouth, shocked by what she was seeing. It was the most heartbreaking scene to watch.

"Oh my god Mac. She's pregnant." Eric hung his head low. He didn't know what to say. Hell he didn't even know that his colleague was pregnant. Mac extended his arm across her shoulder and pulled her close to him to calm her down.

"Did you know about this Eric?" He shook his head. "Well let's just hope she's strong enough to go through this." Eric and Stella both nodded. By now, Stella was already leaning onto Mac's shoulder and taking comfort in his embrace.

After they had done the ultrasound and they were given the first pictures of their baby, Calleigh buttoned up her shirt and sat beside Horatio on his bed. The doctor had called in for the nurse to wheel out the bed and left them both alone.

"Calleigh, I don't want you to cry. Please?" She wanted to hug him so badly but she knew she couldn't. she would hurt him if she did. "Would you do me a favor?" Calleigh looked up at him and nodded.

"Life goes on even after I'm gone. Promise?" Calleigh shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. "A man once said 'A baby is God's opinion that life should go on'. She reached out her hand to push his hair back from his face. The world was just so unfair to them. She couldn't help but blame the world. "Take care of our children sweetheart…And take care of this little one here." Taking a deep breath, he tried to control his pant and continued. "Consider it as my parting gift and my wedding gift to you. And my birthday gift for Horatius and Alayna that I promised." He took in a deep breath again. "I'm sorry I can't be there for our wedding. I didn't mean to stand you up. But always remember that I love you. I will always love you."

"I love you too Horatio. I love you so much. And I will always love you."

With that, Calleigh could not take it anymore and dashed out of the room, crying endlessly. What she didn't realize was Eric standing at the door and he caught her just in time to hold her. He held her tight, allowing her to cry into him. He knew this was too much for her. She had been strong for the past few days. It was only a matter of time that she broke down.

"I can't do this anymore Eric. I can't let him go. Not now. Not ever." Eric stood there, just holding her and rubbing her back, up and down, calming her down.

Mac on the other hand, went into Horatio's room to visit him on his own, leaving Stella outside. He looked at his comrade and everything around him. It was all machines and wires surrounding him. His fellow comrade has fallen and he couldn't do anything to help. He wished he could have done something to avoid it but it was out of his control. Although he has seen many of his fellow comrades fall in the line of duty, this was different. This man lying in front of him was Horatio Caine, his friend. They had spent time together. They had dinners together, they were on cases together, hell, they even spent nights in each other's houses. Horatio opened his eyes upon sensing another being around him.

"Hey." Mac greeted him. He tried to sound lively. He didn't want to sound too sorrowful.

"Hi Mac." It was the only thing he could afford. He couldn't raise his hand for a handshake. "Mac, I want to see my children." Mac nodded.

"I'll have them brought in here. You hang in there." Mac went out to inform them that Horatio wanted to see Horatius and Alayna and that they needed to do it quick.

"Mac…Can I ask a favor from you?"

"What is it Horatio?"

"Take care of them for me. Be a father figure to them. You're the one I trust to be their father figure." Mac couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I can't be there to teach Horatius how to kick a ball. I can't be there to walk Alayna down the aisle. I can't even be there for my new one. I know Eric can do it but I trust you. Just check on them once in a while."

"I promise Horatio. I promise." Just then, Calleigh brought in both their children. The 18-month toddlers held on to their mother's hands and walked hand in hand towards their father.

"Addy!" Horatius called out first then followed by Alayna. Horatius had always recognized his father.

Calleigh kept a strong front and carried them both towards Horatio, placing them gently beside their father. Everytime Horatius tried to reach out to the wires, Calleigh had sternly said no and told them their daddy was in pain. They both understood the concept of the word 'No' and the word 'pain' and they stayed away from pulling the wires. Instead, Horatius reached out to his father's face gently touching and caressing his nose, lips and cheeks. Horatio winced a little but he allowed his son to explore his face. It could be the last time for them. Alayna on the other hand, she had always loved playing with his father's hair and Horatio told Calleigh to let it be. The pain wouldn't matter after this. This was his final time with his children. Horatius and Alayna then lightly and lovingly patted their father's face, as if to tell him that they love him.

Calleigh watched her children playing with their father and she tried to control her tears. She watched them stroked their father's hair and just gently patting their father's face. They had even kissed him, just like he always asked them to. They had learned to kiss from Horatio. He taught them. As they were playing with their father, Calleigh watched as Horatio closed his eyes slowly and panic arose within her. She called out to him but there was no response. She walked towards him and cupped his face but there was no response until she heard the tone that she dreaded the most; that single tone. He was gone.

She stared at his lifeless body, not knowing what to do or how to react. She froze. Mac had to pull her away gently while Eric took the children away from their father.

"Wik, daddy?" Eric held them tight but they started screaming for their daddy. "Daddy!" They screamed again, not wanting to be separated from their father. They may not know what was going on but they were never a happy baby when they were being separated from Horatio. They started reaching out for their father. Calleigh broke free from Mac's hold and ran back towards Horatio. She just stared at him blankly and tried to compose herself. She brushed his red hair off his face and planted a small kiss on his forehead.

"Goodbye Horatio. I will always love you. And I promise I'll take good care of your gifts to me. I'll take good care of our children, the seeds of our love." Then for a final time, she kissed him on his lips.

* * *

**AAAAHHHHHH! So what did you think about it?**

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: If you cried, I cried too. Endlessly. I sobbed like a baby. Tears were running like crazy. How could he die am I right? Oh dear god. **

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All dressed in black, they made their way to send Horatio off for the final time. Calleigh stepped up to the podium to give her eulogy. With much courage and willpower, she pulled herself together and stood in front of everybody else. Men in formal stood at attention, with their rifle in their hands. The rest of the people there, expressing their deepest condolences. She looked at the piece of paper in front of her and a tear dropped. She took a deep breath and gave one final look at Horatius and Alayna who were held by Mac. He gave a nod of encouragement and she began.

"Horatio Caine was the greatest man I have ever met. It is going to be hard for me to put it into words how amazing he was. He was a guardian, a protector of this city but first and foremost, he was a husband and a father. I can never put into words how much I am going to miss him." As tears fall, she looked away to compose herself. Regaining her composure, she continued.

"Throughout my entire time with him, he has given me the best moments. He was the greatest husband and father to me and my children. He had fought for us even until he breathed his last breath. Though he may be gone, his love will never fade. He will forever be with me and my children and I promise to raise and take good care of our children. I will always remind them about their father; about how their father was a hero. Even during our last moments together, he managed to make me smile. He had given me a parting gift no one would ever expect, the fruit of our love. As he told me, 'A baby is God's opinion that life should go on' and I will grant his wish for me to move on, with our children. As they always say, 'An end of one's life may be the beginning of another'. Horatio, you will always be remembered in our memory and I will always love you just like you will always love me."

As Calleigh ended her speech and walked towards Mac and her children, Chief Mendelson handed over the neatly folded flag. With so much calmness and collectedness, she accepted it with pride and dignity. Calleigh sat, calm and composed as she waited for the final 21-gun salute. At every unified blast of the rifles, she felt herself losing the ability to control her tears and as they made the last salute, tears formed in her eyes. When they start lowering the casket, it was the final straw. The dam broke and she started sobbing so badly that Eric had to step forward to hold her. She was never going to see him again and that was the final moment.

Calleigh entered her room, only to be flooded with the memories of Horatio. Every corner of the room reminded her of him. The way he always stood by the window, just staring out at the peaceful and calming sea. How she would always surprise him by coming behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. How he would turn himself around and kiss her lovingly. She sat on the bed that was once called theirs. It felt empty. It felt cold. It was that very bed that they had their intimate moments. Where Horatio had made love to her passionately; be it gently or not. It was that very bed that she snuggled into him every night. She missed being held by him. Now that he was no longer there, the bed is just for her alone. There would be no more warmth for her on a cold night. It was that very bed where Horatio woke her up with his kisses and in that bed, they had conceived the miracle of life, their babies. She stared across the room where they had their dressers. Everytime Calleigh stood in front of the mirror, he would sneak up behind her and kissed her.

She couldn't help but look over to his wardrobe and saw his black tuxedo that he was going to wear during their wedding. She was never going to see him in that tuxedo. Their wedding was never going to happen. They had spent months planning it and it had all gone to waste. They were supposed to choose their wedding photos but it seemed like there was no need anymore. She stood and walked towards it and checked the pockets if there was anything in it. If she had remembered it correctly, Horatio did stay up one night to do something but she didn't know what. The last thing she saw that night was him placing something into one of the pockets. Digging into the second pocket, on the left chest pocket, she found it. A piece of paper.

Calleigh Duquesne,  
I've found love in you,  
I found strength in you,  
It felt like I was being touched by an angel  
My world has changed with you  
I never thought that after all that happened, I would still be able to fall in love with you,  
But you proved it wrong.  
You took hold of my heart,  
You were patient with me,  
You made me fall in love with you so easily.  
I'm glad I found you  
And I want what we have to be forever.  
I love you.  
You're the love of my life.

At the end of it, a tear dropped onto the paper, smudging the ink. It was his vow that he had prepared for their wedding that was supposed to happen in a month. He had written it for her. Holding the piece of paper to her heart, tears start making their way down her cheeks. Slowly, she walked to the bed and crawled under the covers, shutting herself from the world. She laid in bed, holding and hugging Horatio's pillow, covering her face with it and drowned herself in his scent. Her other hand on her stomach, holding tight to his gift. It had only been a few hours and she was missing him so badly. Every part of the bed smelled of his own unique musky scent.

Alexx walked in on her and saw her friend under the covers, curled up in a fetal position, hugging and holding on to the pillow like her life depended on it. She knew Horatio's death was a huge blow to Calleigh but she couldn't let her do that to herself. Alexx approached her gently and knelt by the bed, whispering to Calleigh that her children needed her right now. The only way to get her out of the room was through Horatius and Alayna but it seemed that it was not working. In the end, Alexx went to get both the twins and brought them into the room. She whispered to them and pointed them to their mother then left them on their own. She knew Calleigh wouldn't neglect her children.

"Mmama." Calleigh peeked out of the covers and saw her son and daughter standing at the door, staring at her with smiles on their faces. They didn't even know what was going on. She raised herself up and called out to them to walk towards her.

"Come here baby."

Once they reached the bedside, Calleigh carried and laid them beside her. All she could do was stare at her children. She was at loss for words. What would she tell them when they ask for their father? How would she explain to them that their father was never going to come back? How was she going to tell them what happened to their father? How was she going to raise them on her own, especially with another one coming along?

Calleigh reached up and stroked Horatius' soft and chubby cheek, causing him to smile. Tears formed in her eyes once again. It was Horatio's smile. He had his father's smile and his father's azure eyes. He even had his father's lips. Thin lips. And pinkish. His nose was just like Horatio's. She looked over to her daughter and she watched her eyes lit up to bright azure. Even though she looked more like Calleigh, she resembled Horatio in a certain manner. She could feel the tears on the brink of her eyes. What god was mean enough to take Horatio away from her and her children? Why did everything have to turn out the way it did?

"Addy?" Calleigh stared at her son. He was already asking for his daddy. She already knew it was going to be tough on her. Horatius was really attached to his father and it took them a great deal of effort to calm him down when they separated him from Horatio. He wouldn't even fall asleep without snuggling into his father. Every night they would have a battle royal to put Horatius to sleep. Unless his father was there, holding him, he wouldn't fall asleep. Horatio even had to sneak out to go back to their room to be with Calleigh.

"Daddy's not here sweetie."

"Daddy whe?" Calleigh couldn't bring herself to answer her daughter. What was she supposed to say? That he's seven feet down the ground? That he's in heaven? They didn't even understand the concept of angels. Let alone death or heaven. Instead of answering, she just draped her arm across their bodies and pulled them into her, letting them fall asleep in her embrace. They had to get used to her. Their father wasn't going to be with them anymore. Their father wasn't going to be there to put them to sleep. It was her. In the end, she fell asleep with them in her arms.

Morning came by, lighting up the room with natural light. Sensing that her children were awake, judging by their movements, Calleigh opened her eyes slowly. Staring at her were two pairs of big blue eyes and the only thing that came through her mind was Horatio but she had to shake that thoughts off. Reality set in. It was not a dream. It was real. It happened. Horatio was gone. He was dead. He was seven feet underneath the ground. Flipping herself over, she stared at the ceiling. She couldn't do it. Not here. Not in this bed. Not in this bedroom. Not in this house. Not in this city. There were just too many memories of her and Horatio.

This house, it was just too much. They've spent their time together, teasing each other, having great moments as a family, building every memory they could. Hell this house was where he proposed to her for the first time. The house had witnessed their ups and downs, witnessed when their love was easy and when their love was an effort. She just couldn't live in the house any longer. Not when every corner of it reminds her of Horatio. Not when every corner brings back all the memory of him giving her all the love he could. The way he teased her in the kitchen, the way he always helped her cook, the way he always sat in the living room with their children and played with them.

And especially the room. She couldn't sleep in it knowing that the bed would be empty without him and that his wardrobe will never be touched again. She would never be able to snuggle into him, lying on his chest, and listen to his heartbeat. She would never feel his rough fingers caressing her soft delicate skin. She would never get to play with his hair or taste his lips.

"I'm sorry Horatio. I can't do this. I can't stay here. You've left too much memory for me to carry Horatio." She had made the decision. She had to leave. There was no way she could raise the children well if she kept being reminded of Horatio too much. She needed to start somewhere new and focus on raising her children well. She was sure everyone would respect her decision and give her the support she needed.

* * *

**A little sad I know. I cried too. Again. Did you? Oh god I totally cried endlessly. Ugh.**

**To be continued...**

**Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter. If you have, drop me a review. If you haven't, feel free to hit me up with a critic or anything you want b/c I hope to entertain you with my stories and you might just be able to help me do that :)**


	34. Chapter 34

_"Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin.  
__And there are many things that don't really end, anyway, they just begin again in a new way.  
__Ends are not bad and many ends aren't really an ending; some things are never-ending."  
**-C. JoyBell C.**__  
_

**A/N: "There is no real ending. It's just the place where you stop the story."-Frank Herbert. We have finally come to the final part. As much as I didn't want it to end, everything great (just kidding) has to come to an end. **

* * *

**-A year later-**

"Calleigh you sure you want to do this?" She nodded.

"It's time I visit him. And bring Callie to see him." Calleigh smiled as she carried her 6 months old newborn. It had been a year since she moved away from Miami and not once has she returned. It hurt too much to go back to Miami. She just needed some time to heal and now, she was prepared. Her daughter was born in New York shortly after she accepted a job as a lecturer in one of the top universities. She couldn't afford to continue working as a cop. She couldn't risk it. Her children needed her.

Callie Alyson Caine. That was her name. Calleigh had decided to name her that. She remembered when they were pregnant with the twins and Horatio had chosen that name because he liked the way it sounded like her own. She smiled at that memory. At that moment, Calleigh told him that she wouldn't want to do it anymore; choosing the name, or having another one. But here she was, with another baby in her arms. The only difference was that Horatio wasn't there with her to raise the baby and the twins.

Callie Alyson Caine was born a month earlier than expected. It was right after Horatius' and Alayna's second birthday. They were only a few days apart. Callie was indeed their birthday present from their father; the present that he promised. She remembered, during that day, Mac and Stella had helped her with Horatius and Alayna. When she went into labor, Mac and Stella had taken care of them and as she got closer to the delivery, Mac had sincerely offered to be there for her. Knowing that it would be an intimate act, he had to ask her if she needed him. He didn't want to leave her to fight on her own. He had promised to take care of her and her children. Calleigh accepted his offer knowing that she couldn't do it alone. Horatio was there during the birth of Horatius and Alayna and she needed someone.

* * *

**-FLASHBACK-**

Calleigh groaned as she felt another wave of pain wash over her. She grabbed Mac's hand and gripped it tight. Over and over, she apologized to him that she was hurting him but Mac understood the situation. Childbirth was not an easy task. He voluntarily offered to accompany her through the birth of her newborn and offered her his hand. He could only imagine if she was left alone without any support. When it was time to deliver, she gripped and hung onto his hand. She screamed in pain. She was starting to break out in sweats and panting hard. With another three strong pushes, she heard a cry that sounded like music to her ears; the cry of her baby. She breathed hard and heavy. The first time Calleigh held her baby, she teared up.

Looking at her newborn, she remembered what Horatio told her; that this baby was his gift to her and the twins. She smiled at that memory. She teared up again at the fact that the baby was a girl and the moment she opened her eyes to look at her mother, tears rolled down Calleigh's cheek. Her eyes were ocean green. A beautiful blend of green and blue. It was bright just like when the ocean reflected the bright light. Calleigh caressed her pinkish cheek.

"Hello Callie."

After a few hours of rest time, Mac brought Horatius and Alayna to see their mother. The two year-old toddlers walked in with flowers and a teddy bear in their hands. They walked hand-in-hand.

"Mummy!" Horatius exclaimed excitedly. Both of them ran towards their mother and Mac helped carry them to the bed. They were very well-behaved knowing that their mother was not feeling well. Knowing that their mother was with baby, they understood that Calleigh was in pain. Horatius handed her the flowers and Calleigh showed some appreciation by smelling the flowers and complimenting how the flowers looked beautiful.

"Baby?" Horatius asked. His speaking skills were improving as time passed. His ability to speak clearly was progressing and he was learning more everyday.

"She's there sweetie. She's your baby sister."

"Sister? Ayna?"

"Just like Alayna sweetheart." Calleigh smiled at his son. He was just like his father. He loved his sister a lot. As he grew up, he began taking over Alayna. He became more independent and he became less of a cry-baby. He became less fussy and he became an easy baby. Horatius became very protective of his sister yet still loved to disturb her. He was exactly like Horatio.

Mac handed Calleigh the baby and left the four of them to spend some time together.

"Come here. Let's meet your new sister." As Calleigh held the baby in her hand, Horatius and Alayna approached her carefully and gently, not wanting to hurt their mother.

"Her name is Callie." She introduced the new baby to her twins as she turned her slightly for them to see.

"Cawie." They repeated after her. Unknowingly, Horatius shocked his mother when he leaned down to kiss his new sister. Tears formed in her eyes. His loving character was just like Horatio.

"Wove Cawie." Horatius smiled shyly as he said that to his mother. Alayna stroked her sister's cheek and kissed her as well. Both of them had inherited Horatio's lovingness.

"She's your birthday present from Daddy."

"Daddy." Alayna looked at her. "Daddy ware?" The topic of her father came up again. It had been months since they asked. Ever since Calleigh told them that he was not coming back. She had regretted that moment. She had snapped at them when they asked for their daddy and she was too upset about it. Since that outburst, they never mentioned or said anything about their father. Calleigh felt so bad. They were barely even 2 at that time.

"He's not coming sweetie. But he's always with us." As if they understood, they never said anything else. Calleigh knew they were too young to understand but it seemed that everytime she told them their father was not coming back, they kept quiet.

**-End of Flashback-**

* * *

"Ware we goin mummy?" Alayna came into the room in her pink dress with Horatius. She looked over at Horatius in his Ironman shirt. He insisted on wearing that instead of the blue-checkered shirt that Calleigh chose for him. She shook her head at his stubbornness.

"Just like your daddy." She mumbled to herself.

"We're going to see daddy." She replied as Mac came into the room to help carry the luggage.

"Ready kiddos?" The twins turned and ran towards him.

"Maaacccc!" They both attacked and hugged him. "Ware you."

"I'm sorry I haven't visited you these days. I've been busy." He looked up to Calleigh. "Come on. Let's go take the airplane." Calleigh called out to him before he left the room with the twins.

"Mac I really appreciate that you would come with us. You know you don't have to right? I mean we're not even your responsibilities." Mac looked at her and smiled slightly.

"Calleigh, we're like family. I treated Horatio like family. His family is my family. Besides, of course I would be there. It's the first anniversary." Calleigh smiled at him, appreciative of his gesture. "Come on let's go. We don't want to miss the flight."

* * *

Calleigh, Mac and the kids made their way to the cemetery where Horatio was buried. This time, the pain wasn't as painful as the year before. The wounds were still fresh but it was healing. She honored her promise to him to move on. She knew it would it take time but she was trying for his sake and the children's sake. Mac held Horatius' and Alayna's hands while Calleigh carried the baby.

"I'll leave you guys here okay. I'll come back when you're ready." With that, Mac left Horatius and Alayna with their mother. He knew Calleigh needed some time alone with Horatio.

Calleigh knelt, absorbing the words on the tombstone. 'Beloved husband and father.' She sat on the ground, leaning against his tombstone with Horatius and Alayna on both sides and Callie on her lap.

"Horatio, I'm sorry I haven't visited you. It was just too painful for me. But now…Now I think I'm ready. And I wanted to bring your children to see you. Especially your new baby." Wriggling in her arms, Callie played with her brother and pinched his cheek. Hearing the shriek from Horatius, Calleigh had to break both of them away. "Come on sweetie. Don't bully your brother okay." Horatius, being a lovely brother, instead of picking on his sister, he just stroked her arm. Calleigh had never seen him being rough on her. He was only rough when he was playing with Alayna. Other than that, he was a sweetheart.

"As promised, you gave them their birthday present and I named her Callie Alyson Caine. The name you chose when I was pregnant with the twins. Mac has been really nice to us and helped us a lot when we first moved to New York. Plus, I've got a good job as a lecturer now." Calleigh paused and wiped her eyes. She had promised herself that she wouldn't shed a tear but she did anyway.

"I miss you Horatio. Your kids miss you. They asked about you and I didn't know what to tell them. I snapped at them Horatio. I got so mad and I screamed at them. I felt so bad. I'm such a bad mother." When Calleigh turned around to Horatius, he was gone. She started to panic.

"Mac." Horatius reached out the highest he could and tugged Mac's pants.

"Hey buddy. What are you doing here? Does mummy know you're here?" Mac looked around and saw from afar that Calleigh was looking around frantically. "Ahh. Mummy doesn't know does she." Mac knelt to the little boy's eye level and pointed out. "Look at mummy. She's looking for you."

"Mummy cwy." Eyes widened, eyebrows raised, Mac smiled a little.

"Come on. Let's go to mummy." The moment Calleigh saw Horatius with Mac, she felt the burden of the world lifted off her shoulders. Seeing her favorite boy makes her heart lighter.

"Horatius Declan Caine. Don't you ever do that to mummy again." Calleigh knelt down and stretched out her arm for him to come to her.

"Sowie mummy." Horatius walked to her slowly and heavily. As Calleigh gathered him in her arm, she felt him kiss her on her cheek. "Mummy no cwy. I sad." Calleigh broke her embrace and kissed him back on his chubby cheek.

"You're just like your daddy, baby. You're just like him."

Mac allowed Calleigh and the children to say their final goodbyes and volunteered to carry Callie while Horatius and Alayna held on to their mother. Mac had always liked Callie. She was a bubbly and happy baby, just like her mother. She was always smiling and he had never heard her cry. Or maybe because he doesn't really spend much time with them. Mac had kept his promise to Horatio to take care of Calleigh and the kids but he knew it would never be the same. What Calleigh needed was Horatio. While he could do his best to help the children to be a father figure, it would be different as compared to growing up with their real father. As they walked back to the car, Callie surprised him and Calleigh.

"Dada." Mac gulped hard. His heart was beating fast. He felt his world turn upside down. He panicked so badly that he was starting to break out in sweats.

Calleigh looked at him and back at her daughter. Once again, she called out to him as 'dada'. Her daughter had just said her first word and it was 'dada'. To Mac. Calleigh's eyes widened. She was speechless. Maybe telling her about Horatio all these while was not a good idea. Calleigh had meant to remind them of their father but never did she expect it to turn out this way. Upon seeing Mac speechless and in a daze, Calleigh reached out to take her daughter in her arms.

"I'm sorry Mac. I'm so sorry this happened. I didn't mean for this to happen." Mac shook his head and brought himself back to earth.

"Did she just call me…" Before he could finish his sentence, Calleigh nodded.

"And I'm really sorry."

"I'm not the least offended Calleigh. I'm just shocked. A little proud. I should be the one apologizing Calleigh. I shouldn't feel that way." This time, it was her turn to be shocked.

"You're proud?" Mac sighed. He should not have said that.

"That's not what I meant." He stammered. "I mean…yes of course I'm proud she said her first word. But it shouldn't be me and I shouldn't feel that way. Oh god. I'm so sorry Calleigh. I didn't mean to say that. It's just…her first word shouldn't…"

"Mac it's okay."

"No Calleigh. I don't want to replace Horatio. He's their father. I can never and I will never replace him."

"I know Mac. I know you would never mean to replace Horatio either. But Mac, you watched her enter the world. You were the first to see her and I made you her god-father because you were always there. And you watched her grow up. It's natural for her to mistake you as her father. Besides, it was partly my fault. I should have waited slightly longer to talk to her about Horatio."

"Really? You're okay?"

"It's okay Mac. Besides, dada is the basic first word that a baby would say. It's the easiest to pronounce. I wouldn't blame you. I know you never meant for it to happen. It just did."

"Thank you. I just don't want this to destroy anything between us. I still want to be a great part of their lives. I promised Horatio to take care of them. And you included."

"Of course Mac. But you can't take care of us forever. You've got a life of your own too. I don't want to burden you of such responsibilities."

"You let me worry about that Calleigh. In the meantime, how about we get some lunch? I bet they're hungry." Mac knelt in front of Horatius and Alayna. "Are ya hungry kids?"

"I hungwy!" They both answered in unison. As he stood up, Alayna called out to him.

"Mac."

"Yes sweetie?" She held out both her arms.

"Cawie? I tiyed."

"Mac, don't. Alayna, walk on your own."

"It's okay Calleigh." Mac then lifted her up and carried her with one arm then scooped Horatius in another. "Come on. Let's race your mummy." Mac then jogged slowly, causing them to giggle. Calleigh shook her head.

Calleigh knew that even though Horatio may never be there, her children would always have a father figure. She just hoped that one day, her children understood why their father was never there. He was just protecting them from any harm so that they could enjoy the luxury of a safe environment. There was no one chasing after them anymore. They were safe now. She started tearing up when she remembered the time when Horatio had felt vulnerable and she had promised that he was safe. Apparently that was untrue and he paid it with his life. Nevertheless, Horatio was still a hero.

Calleigh watched Mac interacting with her children and watched how they responded. It then occurred to her that Horatius would turn out just like his father. He was their guardian now, just like Horatio had wished for. Horatio may never return to her anymore but he had given her enough. He had given her Horatius, Alayna and Callie. And during his lifetime, he had given her the best time of her life and no one could ever replace him. She just has to concentrate on raising her children and give them everything they needed. She would raise them like Horatio would have wanted her to.

She smiled watching her children with Mac. They were definitely his. Their playfulness, their cheerfulness and their smiles. They're his and even though he may not be there, in them, she saw him and if that was what she was meant to have, then she was happy with it.

* * *

**The End**

**A/N: The story has now come to its end. The final of the 'RETURN' series. I hope through out the whole series, you enjoyed it. I know you may be sad and crying over the ending but hey, every gray cloud has its silver lining. **

**Your reviews are much appreciated. They have helped me grow into a better writer. I don't exactly know if I am a better writer now. I'll let you be the judge of it. **

**But nonetheless, I've enjoyed writing all these stories and I will see you in the next project; the adventure of Caitlyn Ariana McCarthy and Horatio Caine. Keep a lookout for "A Dangerous Rivalry". And if any of you are on twitter, follow me. The link is in my profile. Have a great day! :)**


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